The researcher Luis Augusto Becerra, leader of the cassava program at the International Center for Tropical Agriculture - CIAT (Colombia), was welcomed at Embrapa Cassava and Fruits from August 6 to August 7, 2019. In a visit organized by the local International Relations team, Becerra met with the heads of the unit and the Cassava Technical Team to discuss joint work possibilities. “The goal of my stay is to intensify the partnership between the two institutions and talk about common areas of scientific research, where we could establish a sinergy so as to obtain gains both for Embrapa and for CIAT”, informed Becerra. At his first time at the research center in Cruz das Almas, BA, the researcher saw labs, greenhouses and the cassava gene bank. “This Unit certainly is a strategic partnership for CIAT, especially the cassava program, with regard to table cassava and cassava for industrial purposes as well. During the discussions, we identified three research areas where we can immediately interact: irrigation, processing, and breeding and genetic improvement", he added. Translation: Mariana Medeiros