Tresmontes Lucchetti joins INIA in celebrating 60 years of the Wheat Breeding Program

The food company Tresmontes Lucchetti and the Agricultural Research Institute (INIA) have been actively collaborating for 36 years to promote sustainable agriculture.

The Agricultural Research Institute (INIA), part of the Ministry of Agriculture, recently celebrated the 60th anniversary of its Wheat Genetic Improvement Program. Thanks to this program, over 130 bread wheat varieties and 17 durum wheat varieties adapted to climate change have been developed.

The event was held in Chillán and welcomed over 100 producers. Together, they addressed issues of sustainability, variety production, quality, and the diseases that affect these crops, all in the context of challenges such as water scarcity and the high temperatures the planet has faced for years.

Pedro Pablo Lagos, Agricultural and Commodities Deputy Manager at Tresmontes Lucchetti, attended the event. He noted that the main challenges for the pasta industry are precisely linked to extreme climate events. «This compels us to move closer to research, to the field, and to encourage farmers to adopt sustainable agricultural practices to make agriculture more resilient,» he stated.

At the event, the executive also presented on how Tresmontes Lucchetti is addressing sustainability, framed within the strategy of Grupo Nutresa, the conglomerate to which it belongs.

Alliances for Sustainable Agriculture

In this vein, the executive also highlighted the 36-year agreement the company has maintained with INIA, which is founded on sustainable agriculture. The initiative aims to protect traditional crops, such as durum wheat itself, increase productivity, ensure yields, and address the sustainability and climate change adaptation challenges facing the sector.

Thanks to this public-private partnership, practices have been implemented to reduce water waste, minimize pesticide use, and improve farmer training, thereby contributing to raising awareness about these agricultural practices.

Within the framework of this agreement, the «Good Agricultural Practices Manual for Durum Wheat» was developed. It provides recommendations for the optimal use of agricultural inputs for durum wheat, aiming to promote sustainable management throughout all its developmental stages.

Furthermore, in partnership with Bigda-Agro, Tresmontes Lucchetti has organized events such as the Central Zone Wheat Growers Meetings, where actors from across the wheat value chain have shared experiences, results, and perspectives in its three editions, in light of future industry scenarios.

With the belief that agriculture’s challenges are not only environmental but also social, Tresmontes Lucchetti and Bigda-Agro recently led the Second Wellbeing Workshop for Women in Agriculture. These meetings aim to recognize and strengthen the vital role women have played in Chilean agriculture as workers, leaders, and agents of change.