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MERIAN – Strengthening CENTA and ENA Capacities for Agricultural Research, Extension and Digital Education

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​​​​​​​​​ Merian continues advancing the modernization and digital transformation of El Salvador’s agricultural innovation system With European Union funding and coordinated implementation involving FAO, ITU, CENTA, ENA and other national partners, the project moved from design and planning toward institutional consolidation, capacity development and operational preparation of its main interventions related to digital transformation.

Among other achievements, MERIAN ​advanced the development of its digital ecosystem, including:

- AgroGenio: An AI application based on the ai framework ​Genie.ai developed by the OSEE project (implemented by BDT-ITU and UNDP). Both, OSEE and Merian are ITU-BDT projects and are under the umbrella of Global Gateway. 
- Digital systems for monitoring technical assistance.
- DARMM: Towards strengthened Geographic Information Systems (GIS). 
- AgroCalc: A fertilization calculator - the first released AgroGIS product - that uses the awarded soil GIS database maintained by CENTA.

​ The knowledge diffusion will be enabled by the direct interaction of producers with extensionists and through AgroConecta, a national multi-channel Contact Center, CENTA/ENA websites and social networks. The built digital ecosystem is founder over validated digital technical content and the design of its knowledge cycle, enhancing the sustainability of the model. ​

General Information

Project: MERIAN – Strengthening CENTA and ENA Capacities for Agricultural Research, Extension and Digital Education
Country: El Salvador 
duration: 3 years (2024–2027)
                There is a pending formal approval for
                an extension of 1 year with no increase
                on the budget.  
Budget: €5,200,000 ​
Funding: European Union (€5,000,000)
                 FAO (€200,000)
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Highlighted Project Documents & Media

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Events

MERIAN Project Official Handover Ceremony​
Date: February 10, 2026.

Validation and Launch of AgroGenio Solutions and GIS Resources for the Agricultural Sector
Date: September 21-22, 2025

​Upcoming Events

Launch of the CENTA | AgroConecta Support Center
Date: October 7, 2026
Location: CENTA, El Salvador

​Project Contact

Project Manager: Miguel Alcaine
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