Methodology for Prioritizing Value-Added Options for Agricultural Products: Insights from Coconut-Producing Communities in Cauca, Colombia

Abstract

Most countries in Latin America and the Caribbean rely on agricultural products without value-added processes, resulting in limited profit margins and reduced economic and social development. This research was conducted as part of the “Strengthening of the Coconut Production Chain in the Cauca Pacific Coast—Copacífico” project. The primary aim of this endeavor was to develop and validate a methodology for the systematic prioritization of solutions aimed at enhancing the value proposition of coconut fiber (tow) within the communities situated along the Pacific coast of Cauca, Colombia. The methodology is based on a set of interconnected concepts: the innovation funnel, human-centered design, and social innovation, complemented by lean startup, scrum, design sprint, and the inventive problem-solving theory TRIZ. These concepts are integrated with the blue ocean strategy, value proposition, and CANVAS. The validation process focused on prioritizing value-added alternatives for coconut fiber by-products (such as coir), resulting in desirable, feasible, and viable solutions achieved through a robust and participatory methodology. Consequently, this methodology is deemed suitable for innovation processes in rural regions, requiring the collaboration of universities, companies, and governmental entities to formulate solutions aligned with the challenges and specific contexts of their territories, while focusing on sustainable development.

1. Introduction

In Latin America, agriculture constitutes approximately 5% of the gross domestic product (GDP) across 20 regional countries. Although the majority of exports directly contribute to the sustenance of numerous individuals and play an important role in keeping international prices stable and under control, these exports primarily comprise raw materials. These raw materials, stemming from unprocessed agricultural products, possess limited added value [1]. Such a situation reduces the possibility of participation in dynamic markets and, consequently, of profitability and opportunities for economic and social development for communities. Therefore, the necessity to formulate novel sustainable production models rooted in the evolution and value augmentation of agriculture and the food sector is evident [2].

For the year 2017 in Latin America, the incidence of poverty and extreme poverty was highest among residents of rural areas, children and adolescents, women, and indigenous people and the Afro-descendant population, among other groups, and its incidence reached rates higher than 40%, being up to three times higher than in urban areas [3]. Moreover, more than two-thirds of the rural population of developing countries exhibit high rates of poverty. The United Nations (UN) establishes the “end of poverty” as a sustainable development goal aimed at sustained economic growth, the reduction in labor informality, the promotion of decent work, and comprehensive social protection systems.

Likewise, the objective called “Zero Hunger” proposes doubling agricultural productivity and the income of small-scale food producers, particularly for family farming models, through markets and opportunities for the generation of added value and non-agricultural jobs [4]. In Colombia, the main objective of the Strategic Plan for Science, Technology and Innovation of the agricultural sector [5] (PECTIA, 2017–2027) is to guide the sector’s policy on said topics to increase competitiveness, sustainability, and improvement of the living conditions of the population in accordance with the conditions and potential of the country. In this document, the thematic area of harvest, post-harvest, and transformation management urges the development of value-added technologies for the diversification of the product offer and the integral use of by-products that potentiate the sectoral agricultural industry [5]. And it is under this perspective that the proposal for value generation in the coconut produced on the Colombian Pacific Coast is generated.

Current research indicates that the worldwide coconut market has meanwhile enjoyed a gradual increase in the last decade, motivated mainly by the use of products and by-products in the food, beverages, and cosmetics industries—sectors that have invested in research and development to improve the characteristics and properties [6]. World coconut production was 62,875,216 metric tonnes in 2019 with an increase of 8,8% over the last three years. The countries with the highest production and growth during the last three years were India with 31.5%, Sri Lanka with 26%, and mainland China with 22.7%. Colombia ranks 24th with a participation of 0.23% and an increase of 32% during the years from 2010 to 2019 [7].

In this nation, the department of Cauca was the second-largest producer nationwide with a contribution of 19% (28,232 tons) [8]. Coconut production in Cauca, mainly of the Typical and Manila varieties, took root in its coastal zone from the 1960s on, mainly in the municipalities of Timbiquí, Guapi, and López de Micay. Currently, it is estimated that in the three municipalities there are 1200 producers in the context of a family economy, with 4500 hectares planted in a disadvantaged territory, with high levels of poverty and severe restrictions for transformation. In this area of the country, the coconut is harvested on the farms and sold, without undergoing any kind of transformation, to local collection centers. In these centers, the mesocarp is removed, and later the shelled coconut is sent by river and sea to a main port, the place from which it is marketed and transported by land to the interior of the country. The product is agro-industrially transformed in developed cities, and later incorporated into a wide variety of food and non-food products. A very small part of the coconut that is produced on the Pacific Coast of Cauca is transformed locally into handicrafts and traditional products of the territory such as sweets, baked goods, and oils, which exhibit a very low articulation with the market [9].

In order for the coconut-growing community in Colombia to meet a market demand with innovative products that can compete with international supply, it is necessary to innovate in rural agri-food systems through learning, knowledge, and local experience that will lead to improving productivity and product competitiveness, and the articulation of producers, consumers, intermediaries, government institutions, and private companies in new organizational forms [10]. However, innovation theories and concepts for rural development need to be adjusted to commercial and social contexts. For this, state support is required for agricultural activities and the population living in poverty, alongside citizen participation and a new public–private relationship with an approach sensitive to gender and ethnic identity [11].

Nonetheless, any innovation process with a view to adding value requires focusing solutions within a wide number of possibilities on which the efforts for research, development, and technology transfer will be concentrated. Ref. [12] indicate that, on average, around 3000 raw ideas are generated and almost all of these ideas are rejected in the new product development process to obtain a commercially successful product. In a highly competitive environment, knowing how to prioritize is essential for organizations and much more so for social and productive development projects.

For its part, having a structured and business-focused prioritization process is essential for the successful implementation of an integrated innovation framework in any business. In light of this, there are a series of factors that define aspects that must be taken into account: (1) Value for the organization; (2) Adaptation to the vision of the business and the environment; (3) Viability; (4) Market acceptance; (5) Durability [13].

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean [14] proposes the bioeconomy as a techno-productive paradigm for regional agricultural development and activities based on biological resources. Colombia, in recent years, has accorded notable attention to its progression. The “Mission of Wise Men 2019,” convened by the National Government to contribute to the formulation and enactment of public policy in education, science, technology, and innovation, underscores that the bioeconomy is not delineated as an autonomous sector but rather as an interconnected assembly encompassing diverse value chains. This interrelation extends across numerous existing sectors, including agriculture, the food domain, forestry, the timber industry, waste management, industrial bioproducts, and energy [15].

Furthermore, the project titled “Strengthening of the Coconut Production Chain in the Cauca Pacific Coast—Copacífico” aims to explore alternative avenues for deriving value from coconut fibers. However, the implementation of sustainable productive initiatives in rural communities is compounded by intricate factors encompassing social dynamics, cultural considerations, and the provisioning of fundamental services and infrastructure. As such, many endeavors within the intervened community, even with government support, have failed. Notably, the literature review did not reveal a methodology capable of effectively prioritizing a condensed array of value-adding solutions for agricultural product development. As a result, this study was directed towards formulating and verifying a methodology pertinent to the coconut industry, with potential applicability to diverse innovation processes within rural settings.

This methodology is supported by the concept of the innovation funnel and tools of social innovation, design thinking, human-centered design and lean startup, sprint design, and scrum. At the same time, the theoretical concepts of the blue ocean strategy, value proposition and CANVAS are integrated. The results presented are derived from the research project, “Strengthening of the coconut production chain of the Cauca Pacific Coast”, formulated by the University of Cauca and financed by the General System of Royalties through the Technology and Innovation Fund (SGR-Tel) that is channeled through the Government of Cauca.

1.1. Theoretical Foundation

1.1.1. Added Value, Technological Innovation, and Social Innovation

Added value is developed through strategies that allow the assessment of the attributes of a product and/or process. In other words, it focuses on the physical transformation of a product for a second or third period of life, as well as the differentiation of each product according to the changes to which it has been subjected and the increase in efficiency in the use of available resources for the generation of different products or their reuse. On the other hand, value generation is related to innovation processes and the ability to increase the profitability of transformed or improved products. Consumers, for their part, are an important link in the chain of adding value, since the price depends on the recognition of the quality–functionality relationship of the products [16].

In this sense, Ref. [17] takes the definition of technological innovation proposed by the OECD 1993 ([18], p.11), indicating that it is “the first application of science and technology in a new direction, followed by commercial success”—that is to say, it is the transformation of an idea into products for the satisfaction of needs or services that improve the quality of life of a social group and thus remain in the market. Ref. [19] similarly affirms that technological advances support social welfare and contribute to economic growth, since the transformation of goods and services is carried out under the criteria of efficiency, novelty, and quick solutions to the fluctuating needs of society and the market itself.

From what has been stated, the concept of the innovation funnel arises, which is the process of purifying ideas for their optimal management and development, that is, the managed ideas allow the creation of new products, be they by way of services or technologies that can be implemented and marketed. This consists of four phases or stages: idea generation, idea selection for development, testing and evaluation, and value creation [20]. In this sense, Ref. [21] mention that the innovation funnel is closely linked to the development of new products in the field of open innovation due to the fact that it allows the introduction of concepts such as open business models and open service innovation.

To this extent, innovation in rural areas is closely related to social innovation, defined as new ideas (products, services, and models) that simultaneously satisfy social needs (more effectively than alternatives) and create new social and collaborative relationships, fostering social capacities for action [22]. Thus, for [23], innovation is defined as the creation of new products or the improvement of these, as well as the development of innovative processes that guide their life periods to the solution of individual or collective needs, such that they allow the transformation of the social environments where they are used.

Despite having definitions of innovation and added value, where the main purpose of the products—be they processes/services or equipment—is meeting the needs or embracing new paths of human relations through technology, the way in which rural areas can also come to generate solutions to their own needs at a local scale is not visible. Thus, the business context can be addressed with tools such as design thinking, which focuses on solving problems from the end user’s perspective; thus, design creativity is based on the ability to deeply understand needs from particular contexts [24]. Ref. [25] describes five steps that are relevant in the social innovative process: listen to the community, identify opportunities, find solutions, provide tools, and execute solutions.

In relation to design thinking, this is an interactive and cyclical process, where the interactivity between criteria and creativity are combined to work in these five stages: empathize, define, devise, prototype, and evaluate. Therefore, criticism allows the use of theories and concepts in a pragmatic and succinct way, so that creativity has the possibility of making directed and feasible decisions [26]. In this sense, Ref. [27] propose human-centered design as a method of problem solving based on collaborative innovation management. This definition is not far from what was stated by [28], which indicates that it is a “systematic process dedicated to solving problems focusing on the approach of opinions and possibilities”, where the groups or people are the fundamental actors in the creation of ideas and in proposing solutions that end up being pertinent, as well as being consistent with realities and needs.

Human-centered design thus develops in the three phases of hear, create, and deliver. Hearing allows the collection of inspirational elements; creating allows prototypes of selected solutions; and in delivering, the solutions are taken to financial and cost models in order to analyze the implementation requirements and useful life of the proposals raised by the participating groups. As such, this design suggests that the groups are made up of characteristics of equity and social inclusion (Figure 1).

1.1.2. Methodologies and Tools for Innovation

In the hybrid methodology proposed for this research, there is a convergence of elements of design sprint, which is used in the experience of designing and creating any good or service. This allows the intended recipients of the service to be taken into account before its production and thus results in a shortening of the design/construction processes/times, which reduces costs. Finally, a viable product is achieved, and the errors when it becomes available on the market will be fewer [29]. This methodology is developed under the phases of understanding the problem, working individually on the solution, deciding which solution to develop, prototyping the solution, and validating the solution [30].

Figure 1. Comparison of the stages of social innovation, design thinking, and human-centered design. Source: Own compilation based on [25,26,28,30].

Figure 1. Comparison of the stages of social innovation, design thinking, and human-centered design. Source: Own compilation based on [25,26,28,30].

The proposed methodology is reinforced by lean startup, which is aimed at implementing innovative ideas for the creation of a startup. Firstly, it focuses on a three-step circuit: creating a product, measuring results, and learning from mistakes; thus, building a product can be measured through data and ideas can be adjusted to make the product viable, achieving validated learning. Secondly, it works under the uncertainty principle, which allows learning in a short time and with minimal investment; it is aimed at reducing the chances of failure [31,32]

Despite having these methodologies as pillars for community work and understanding the community’s needs, it is necessary to apply another one that allows the resolution of technical problems that arise during the creation process, for which the inventive problem-solving theory (TRIZ) method was used in this work. This consists in the solution of inventive problems and starts from a problem to which a battery of 39 technical parameters and a contradiction are applied. This allows us to show that the difficulties raised have been handled using scientific knowledge [33]. The combination of TRIZ and design thinking approaches facilitates the generation of alternative solutions through the separation principles or the contradiction matrix, since TRIZ does not consider the user for whom it is being designed, a fundamental aspect in design thinking [34].

Due to the above, the business design method called scrum was also applied. This method is used in companies and in this case it was carried out at local scale or in areas that presented the following characteristics: uncertainty, self-organization, moderate control, and transmission of knowledge. It is characterized by presenting interactions between characteristics, calling each of them “Sprint” [35]. Likewise, this methodology facilitates the incorporation of the client in the process, flexible planning, teamwork, acceptance of failure, and the diffuse profile of the target in its early stages [36].

The bases of the blue ocean strategy consider projects that have particular characteristics (i.e., remote locations), in which high product costs are implied due to the transportation and marketing. The blue ocean strategy is defined as a new way of thinking and it is based on innovation in value. It also leaves aside the competition and focuses on the creation of new products that take into account the main needs of a particular group of people and is used in the first stage of ventures to identify the product and market [37,38].

The concatenation of these methodologies and/or tools includes a value proposition that makes it possible to identify what customers want and expect, and they are also adjusted as user needs change. The value proposition acquires its relevance as soon as the logical sequence with which it acts is understood, which is why the method includes an analysis of customers in order to understand their requirements. The value map allows the creation of value within the product, so that it is attractive, and a fit that is at the intersection between the customer profile and the value of the product [39]. Finally, the methodology conceptualized here allows the community to imagine a business model with a common language, where its design and application is carried out in a fast, agile, simple, and understandable way so that the proposed strategies have a business structure and respond to the requirements of the participating social groups or communities.

2. Materials and Methods

This methodological proposal arose within the framework of the research project “Strengthening the productive chain of coconut on the Cauca Pacific Coast (COpacifiCO)” financed by the National Royalties System of Colombia and executed by the Universidad del Cauca in the territory. The main objective was to identify strategies to add value in the territorial area where coconut is produced (Pacific Coast of Cauca), and through them explore alternatives that allow producers to improve their income and communities to improve their social and economic development, since this territory has the highest rates of poverty and violence in the country.

The COpacificO project was carried out between 2021 and 2023 on the Pacific coast of Cauca in Colombia, specifically in the municipalities of Timbiquí, Guapi, and López de Micay, located on the southwestern coast of Colombia, a region with natural and water wealth, surrounded by the Pacific Ocean. It is an area with high levels of poverty and incipient access to public services. Its only transportation options are air and river (through the Guapi, Timbiquí, Saija, and Micay rivers).

The COpacifiCO project consisted of two stages. In the first, a characterization of the links that make up the coconut value chain was carried out with the purpose of having an updated diagnosis that allows the recognition of its operation. For this, instruments were designed (surveys, interviews, panels, visits to the production systems) to identify the number of producers and their characteristics, and the particularities of the farms where the fruit is produced. In this initial stage of the project, the other links that are articulated in this chain were analyzed, including the links between agro-industrial transformation and the marketing of fresh coconut and its derivatives in the most developed areas of the country. At the same time, environmental analysis studies, commercial and technological surveillance, and prospective studies were carried out to recognize the realities and trends in coconut consumption in Colombia and the world. Based on the above information, the second stage of the project was structured, in which prototypes were developed at the laboratory level with the purposes of identifying the technical and financial possibilities for obtaining them on the Pacific coast and achieving a successful commercial articulation.

Between the first and second stages of the project, it was necessary to prioritize value-added alternatives for coconut in order to identify a reduced set of value-added solutions from a wide variety of valorization alternatives for this fruit. The validation of this methodological proposal was carried out with the community of coconut producers on the Pacific coast of Cauca in Colombia and was limited to the prioritization of value-added alternatives for coconut fiber by-products (tow).

This methodological proposal for the prioritization of value-added alternatives was carried out under a qualitative and quantitative approach, considering a wide range of tools to apply within the concept of the innovation funnel (Figure 2). Because it is a social process, it was supported in the development of co-participatory methodologies. Below is the scheme of the adjusted hybrid methodology that resulted from the validation carried out and that is proposed as a methodology to be replicated in other processes of prioritization of value-added alternatives for agricultural products.

Figure 2 depicts the innovation funnel, portraying an initial influx of numerous ideas that undergo a process of systematic prioritization before reaching a reduced number of solutions, for which models are specified that allow the consolidation of these initiatives in the territory.

The general prioritization methodology is made up of three sprints and each of them is represented by a diamond. The three diamonds are integrated with each other through a systemic model that allows gradual progress in the process of prioritizing value-added alternatives, going from a large number of desirable products to a smaller group of feasible ones and, finally, from the group of feasible products to the final group of feasible products. This is achieved by using a divergent or convergent thinking approach that flexes and contracts the alternatives throughout the process until reaching the final selection. Within each diamond, twelve moments are contemplated in which the participating actors are expected to advance through a process of understanding, devising, defining, prototyping, and testing.

The methodology began with the establishment of relationships between the community responsible for agricultural production and the team of facilitators of the prioritization process. For this, the linking of personnel from the territory within the work team was decisive in facilitating the entry relations with the community and later opening the door to a gradual process of building trust between the actors, which allowed the activities to evolve effectively in order to develop such aspects as characterization, interviews, immersions, environmental surveillance, technological surveillance, and commercial surveillance, among others.

2.1. Roles Defined in the Methodology

Once the link with the community was established and the participating actors were selected, teams were formed and roles were assigned according to the objective of each moment. It thus featured a design team, a technical team, a guiding team, clients, stakeholders, and a facilitator.

Table 1. Formation and functions for the roles defined in the methodology. Source: own compilation.

Role	Formation	Functions
Design team from the community	4 to 6 members of the community democratically elected with criteria of disciplinary diversity and gender equality. It is suggested that at least one young person from the community be involved in the team.	Participation in the defined workshops. Dialogue with the community.
Technical team	4 to 6 members of the team that provides technical support, democratically elected with criteria of disciplinary and gender diversity.	Participation in the defined workshops. Support in research and search processes required in the application of the methodology.
Guidance team	2 to 3 people, one of them with a high budget-decision power and broad scope of the project, a person with relevant knowledge of the technical aspects of product development, and/or a market contact person. Some of them can be part of the support team if necessary.	Decision-making. Participation in the defined workshops. Support in research and search processes required in the application of the methodology.
Facilitator	A person who knows the methodologies in which the hybrid methodology is supported.	Plans and executes each of the results-oriented moments.
Clients (optional)	1 to 2 potential clients of the solutions to be implemented When commercial surveillance processes have been carried out previously, potential clients interested in the solutions to be developed can be found and are willing to participate in the co-creation processes collaboratively.	Participation in the defined workshops.
Stakeholders (optional)	1 to 2 representatives of government or support entities who are interested in the processes and highly committed to the results of the project.	Participation in the defined workshops.

shows the formation of the teams and suggested roles for the application of this methodology.

2.2. Sprint 1. In Search of Desirable Solutions

The first sprint had as its objective that the proposed solutions of added value for agricultural products are desirable. For this, the construction of a map of problems was started, which evolved to the production of ideas and culminated with an evaluation of these alternatives according to the value for the market and the level of complexity that their implementation has in relation to the available technologies. Internally, moments of both convergent and divergent thinking were used, going through the methods of understanding to devising and culminating at the stage of defining. It contained three moments which are detailed below (

Table 2. Moments of the first sprint. Source: own compilation.

	Moment	Estimated Time	Participants	Thought	Mode	Objective
1	Understand the problem	1.6 h	Technical team Community design team	Convergent	Understand	Collect elements of the actions from the phase of empathizing with the community and the analysis of the environment that allow the construction of a map of the problem via a shared method, through the consensus formulation of one or several guiding questions.
2	Ideation and clustering workshop	1.6 h	Support team Community design team Clients Stakeholders	Divergent	Devise	Generate and cluster the greatest number of ideas possible that allow the solution of the questions and problems posed by the challenge that allows the identification of possible areas of opportunity.
3	Evaluation of ideas (3 × 3 matrix)	1.5 h	Support team	Convergent	Define	Exclude areas of opportunity with low market value and high levels of complexity (not prioritizing yet).
	Evaluation of ideas (PIN evaluation)	1.5 h	Support team	Convergent	Define	Evaluate positive, negative, and interesting aspects of the solutions.

):

2.3. Sprint 2. In Search of Feasible Products

The second sprint, aimed at making the solutions feasible, began with a feasibility analysis of the ideas identified as having potential in the first sprint and led the community and technical team to carry out a prototype of the solutions, as well as evaluate them and imagine their implementation and operation in the territory. This stage culminates with the quantitative application of a factor evaluation matrix. It has two moments of divergent thinking and goes through the moments of understanding, devising, prototyping, and defining in the four moments detailed as shown in

Table 3. Moments of the second sprint. Source: own compilation.

	Moment	Estimated Time	Participants	Thought	Mode	Objective
4	Analysis of feasibility	1.5 h	Technical team	Divergent	Understand	Understand the feasibility issues of the ideas so far identified as potentially viable with some implementation drawbacks.
5	Box of ideas	2 h	Selected participants from the technical team with technical knowledge in implementing prioritized ideas, Community design team	Divergent	Ideate	Generate the greatest possible number of ideas that allow solutions to the challenges to be resolved for the implementation of areas of opportunity identified so far.
6	Prototyping and SWOT	2 h	Technical team, Community design team	Convergent	Prototype	Prioritize the most desirable and feasible areas of opportunity for the community by prototyping and evaluating strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats. (Figure 3)
7	Matrix prioritization criteria	1.5 h	Technical team	Convergent	Define	Evaluate the areas of opportunity according to agreed criteria in a prioritization matrix. Each selected criterion is assigned a weight in relation to its importance for its implementation and is scored from 1 to 5 where 1 is very unfavorable and 5 is very favorable.

:

To determine the criteria for the prioritization matrix, the results of moment 1 of the problem tree were used, to the extent that it allowed the workshop participants to obtain clear elements for their identification and objectively weigh their qualifications.

2.4. Sprint 3. In Search of Viable Solutions

The third sprint began with the pre-validation of the solutions so far prioritized through the application of interviews with potential clients of the solutions. In the instrument, competitors and substitute products were evaluated. A first value proposition idea was built, evaluating innovative aspects that could be incorporated into the idea and evolving in the approach of a possible business model for the implementation of the solution. This diamond has two moments of convergent thinking, two of divergent thinking, and finally the TRIZ methodology that applies both modes of thought at the same time. It begins with the test mode, followed by a moment of understanding, devising-defining, and ending with the step of prototyping the business model, each of which is detailed below (

Table 4. Moments of the third sprint. Source: Own compilation.

	Moment	Estimated Time	Participants	Thought	Mode	Objective
8	Interviews with potential customers of the solutions	Not determined	Potential customers of the solutions prioritized so far	Convergent	Test	Telephone or face-to-face contact for commercial pre-validation with possible commercial allies for each of the pre-selected products, which allows the obtaining of information on the needs and characteristics of the demand.
9	Strategic framework	2 h	Technical team, Community design team	Divergent	Understand	Identify attributes desirable by potential customers and analyze the competition and/or recognizable substitutes so far.
10	Value proposition	2 h	Technical team, Community design team	Divergent	Ideate	Build the value proposition through the customer profile and value map for each solution prioritized so far.
11	TRIZ methodology and 2 × 2 matrix	2 h	Technical team, Potential customers (optional)	Divergent-Convergent	Ideate- Define	Specify characteristics and aspects of the product that allows the research and development stage to create more value for customers.
12	Business model	2 h	Technical team, Community design team	Convergent	Prototype	Differentiate the current business model from the future business model (to be implemented with the prioritized solutions), to establish concrete actions that the community must carry out as preparation prior to the transfer of technology from social, community, and organizational aspects. (Figure 4)

):

The Blue Ocean Strategy’s value curve tool was suitably adapted for moment 9, corresponding to the relevant strategic framework, constituting a visual representation of the comparative performance of the prioritized product in relation to the variables associated with its nearest competitor or substitute. As articulated by [37], the horizontal axis encompasses the spectrum of industry-relevant variables subject to investment and competitive dynamics, whereas the vertical axis quantifies the level of value offered to buyers concerning the identified variables ([37], pp. 37–38). In this context, the variables were identified and ranked by the workshop team on a scale from 1 to 5, where 5 denotes a product providing exceptionally high value, 4 represents high value, 3 signifies medium value, 2 implies low value, and 1 indicates very low value. The resultant graph showcases an averaged representation of the workshop-assigned ratings.

3. Results

The hybrid methodology made it possible to achieve the objective set around prioritizing four products that, in the execution of the project, went to the research stage, providing peace of mind to the technical team, because they were defined through a legitimate process with the participation of both the community and the stakeholders. The community and the technical team qualified this methodology as participatory, robust, and applicable to other prioritization methods used in processes of adding value to agricultural products. Additionally, the methodology made it possible to obtain valuable and useful information when implementing the solutions for the transformation and addition of value in the territory. Furthermore, while the process of research and development of the functional prototypes was advancing, the methodology allowed the community to visualize some clear tasks for the appropriation of the technologies and business models that needed to be implemented to put the solutions on the market. The most relevant results of the validation of the methodology are presented below.

Moment 1 was called Understanding the problem. After building the problem map that started from the question “Why is there low use of coconut fiber on the Pacific coast of Cauca?” the participants grouped the contributions into economic, commercial, social, production, and environmental aspects and the answers were specified in the following table (

Table 5. Guiding questions, resulting from the Understanding the problem workshop. Source: Own compilation.

Findings	Guiding Question
The high cost of transportation will be a factor that will affect the low competitiveness for the transformation of products derived from coconut fiber.	How can transportation costs be reduced?
The limitations of stable access to public services in the territory will be a limitation in the coconut transformation processes.	How could they have access to public services for coconut transformation?
The community has had access to projects with infrastructure that have not been sustained.	How could the community obtain a transformation activity that is profitable and lasting?
Processing employment will compete with higher wages from illegal mining and illicit crops.	How could coconut processing could be a profitable and motivating work activity?
Coconut production and marketing is not attractive to young people.	How could young people be involved in coconut production and transformation processes?
The demand for sustainable products from coconut is increasing and production has not increased to demand levels.	How could coconut production be increased without generating deforestation processes and affecting the environment?
The producers are not interested in transformation because they have assured the commercialization of the fruit and the prices generate an acceptable profitability.	What products could be transformed on the Pacific coast of Cauca from the coconut that has assured commercialization in the market?
The presence of armed actors limits the investment of private companies and state investment in transformation activities.	It is not the responsibility of the project or its solution is beyond the scope.
The community has skills to develop operational and manual activities that are easy to use.	How could heavy-duty and/or manual labor skills of the community be integrated into coconut transformation processes on the Pacific coast of Cauca?
Marketers frequently grant financing to producers.	How could coconut producers be granted financing within an associative business model?
The current associative processes are not aimed at strengthening local entrepreneurship.	How could entrepreneurship for the transformation of coconut be strengthened?
The environmental impact of coconut production and transformation are not a priority for the community.	How could sustainable practices be generated in coconut production and transformation?
Producers do not implement good agricultural practices and phytosanitary handling in coconut processing.	How could better agricultural practices be implemented in phytosanitary handling in coconut production?

) where the findings were identified, and the respective guiding question was constructed for each one.

The methodology fails to resolve all of the guiding questions identified in the problem tree, but it will be necessary to consider some of them in the feasibility and/or viability stages. The design team therefore decided to focus on the question: “How could the coconut-producing community on the Pacific coast of Cauca have a transformation activity that motivates the community and lasts over time?” In this regard, the ideas of the participants were obtained and grouped into seven areas of opportunity, as follows (

Table 6. Solutions generated for guiding question. Source: Own compilation based on ideas from the technical team and community design team.

Area of Opportunity	Solution
Business strengthening	Strengthen associative processes Orient actions towards entrepreneurship Provide alliances and/or financing programs Have access to market information and marketing channels
Relations with the public sector	Involve the company, community, and public institutions in transformation processes (local, departmental, and national government) Choose better leaders and rulers Have greater visibility before the state Look for institutional accompaniment Consolidate initiatives of greater scope (chain), so that they can be sustained Access to supply of public services
Commercial strengthening	Platform for online sale of artisanal products produced in the area Add differentiation with own brands and/or certifications Involve other actors in the chain Emphasize the image of a clean, quality product with a social impact Establishment of commercial premises in main cities where the products are sold Include commercial allies in the project from the beginning
Accompaniment	Maintain training and assistance after the completion of the project Construction of a community outlook with a vision of economic and environmental sustainability Provide accompaniment for the management of pests and diseases
Technical	Simple transformation processes, easy to transfer, sustainable Where possible for use in the region (self-consumption) Simple machinery, easy-to-use mechanics Prioritize manual and mechanical transformation, since electricity and potable water are limited
Social	Include young children of coconut farmers Validation by the community before implementing the solutions

):

In relation to the question, “What products could be transformed on the Pacific coast of Cauca from the fiber and that could have a constant demand in the market?” the 76 solutions identified were later grouped into 13 opportunity sub-areas and these, in turn, into 4 opportunity areas: construction, home and decoration, industrial applications, and textiles and fashion. The opportunity sub-areas with an idea of the solutions were evaluated in the 3 × 3 matrix presented below (Figure 5):

The application of the PIN evaluation, the subsequent moment of feasibility analysis, and the Box of Ideas workshop allowed us to identify the possible problems in the implementation of the solutions identified so far by the participants as having the greatest potential. Using a traffic light (

Table 7. Feasibility analysis of prioritized solutions. Source: Own compilation based on ideas from the technical team and community design team.

Product/Area of Opportunity	Implementation Problems	How Could It Be Undertaken?	Solution Ideas	Traffic Light
Agricultural substrates	Conditions required for the washing process High consumption of good quality water	Can river water be used to wash agricultural substrates or what conditions ought it to have? How is the washing process carried out for the production of agricultural substrates from coconut?	Pretreatment Material sedimentation Use rainwater—store it Aqueduct in the municipalities
Sand for pets	No implementation problems found (they are already producing it in the area)
Combustion briquettes	Generates a lot of smoke Determine binder Evaluate if it requires packaging Humidity storage conditions in the area Standardization Is a pelletizer required?	Is a binder required to produce coconut briquettes? How could the humidity be lowered to store the coconut briquettes?	Thermosetting or thermoplastic resins could be used depending on the use No binders needed Dehumidifiers can be used Packaging in hermetic bags
Plastic wood (wood substitute)	Plastic supplier	How could plastic be obtained in the area?	Recycled plastic available in the area
For all products	Considerable and stable power supply	How could a stable electricity supply be maintained for a transformation plant on the Pacific coast of Cauca?	With a diesel generating plant or gas plant
Non-woven felts for home and various applications (mattresses, rugs, etc.) Yarns, fabrics, and applications	Research production process Fiber length	How to obtain longer fibers? What is the production process for manufacturing felts, rugs, mattresses?	Machines that tear the fibers Method: a ragged machete
Plantholders, gardening applications	The process is simple, no implementation problems are identified
Packaging and containers	Stable economic supply Disposal of biodegradable packaging	How could a demand for higher-cost packaging be opened up?	Go to luxury packaging Highlight the environmental benefits of the solution
Activated carbon	High energy consumption	What processes exist for the production of coconut activated carbon?	Acids Oven temperatures

), those implementation problems that might have a feasible solution were identified in green; those that should be analyzed further in yellow; and those for which participants definitely could not find a solution, in red. The solutions in green go on to the next stages of the methodology.

The methodology allowed the construction of the criteria prioritization matrix in which eight criteria identified by the participants and applied to the products that passed to this stage were evaluated. The matrix is presented in the

Table 8. Criteria prioritization matrix. Source: Own compilation based on ideas from the technical team and community design team.

Criteria	%	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	10
Potential for short-circuit commercialization	7%	0.3	0.1	0.1	0.3	0.2	0.2	0.1	0.2	0.2	0.2
Complexity for reaching a prototype	18%	0.8	0.9	0.63	0.78	0.78	0.66	0.78	0.66	0.54	0.54
Possibility of self-consumption	15%	0.5	0.15	0.45	0.69	0.45	0.54	0.45	0.63	0.42	0.51
Availability of other inputs in the territory	12%	0.5	0.48	0.54	0.51	0.39	0.44	0.42	0.51	0.42	0.39
Impact of environmental factors on storage	9%	0.4	0.39	0.38	0.41	0.41	0.39	0.38	0.41	0.38	0.54
Requirement of public services for production	12%	0.5	0.51	0.51	0.48	0.42	0.45	0.45	0.51	0.51	0.36
Ease of provision of equipment and infrastructure for implementation	13%	0.6	0.56	0.56	0.61	0.61	0.56	0.56	0.35	0.65	0.26
Demand in the domestic market	14%	0.6	0.45	0.42	0.62	0.5	0.53	0.42	0.49	0.59	0.5
	100%	3.93	3.44	3.50	4.09	3.56	3.58	3.47	3.55	3.51	3.10
1. Agricultural substrate		6. Mattresses
2. Cat litter		7. Handmade soap
3. Combustion briquettes		8. Threads for fabrics
4. Wood plastic composites		9. Packaging, Containers
5. Pots		10. Activated carbon

.

The results of the prototyping workshops carried out with the community and technical team are presented below, in which the possible operation of the value-adding process in the territory of the solution is visualized and allows the identification of the limitations and critical factors of its implementation (

Table 9. Prototypes of the operation of the prioritized solutions. Source: Own compilation based on ideas from the technical team and community design team.

Product, Description, and Total Number of Votes	Prototype
Plastic wood for within the territory They emphasize that in its implementation they will use coconut fiber and recycled plastic existing in the area, thereby contributing to the environment. They envision a diversity of applications such as replacement of wood in the construction of houses, bridges, furniture, etc. They value the contribution as a substitute for wood, thereby helping to reduce deforestation. They represent a plant supplied from different points dedicated to the transformation of the material and its sale for self-consumption. Total number of votes: 44
Mattresses for self-consumption in the territory They represent a transformation plant, supplied with inputs locally. They emphasize that the fiber does not have chemicals and in addition to helping to mitigate the impact of the fiber, they consider it useful for self-consumption. For attendees it is easier to identify some machinery or part of the process, even to do it by hand. Total number of votes: 38
Agricultural substrates They visualize a company located at an equidistant point in which the production process is carried out. They represent a place of reception of raw material, storage, transformation and delivery. They mention that its commercialization will be done towards the interior of the country since they know that it is a product that is frequently consumed in crops and nurseries, since it has properties that allow the seeds to develop easily. Total number of votes: 15

):

As an example, the strategic framework is presented in which the workshop participants identify the competition and/or substitute products for one of the prioritized products up to the moment, which corresponds to plastic wood (Figure 6). For this, both the wood available in the area from the trees of the territory and the plastic products acquired in the interior of the country were identified as substitute products. In the strategic framework, the characteristics valued by the clients were identified, such as durability, resistance, light weight, resistance to humidity, resistance to fire, and being environmentally sustainable. In the qualification of the workshop participants, plastic wood has advantages over the two substitute products in its light weight, in its price, and in its favorability for the environment.

Below, as an example, the fit-value proposition for plastic wood is presented (Figure 7), in which the needs are defended so that the technical team could consider its development, such as the need to offer it in different sizes, the standardization, and the resistance to humidity, among others.

Figure 8 presents the business model with transformation that was visualized by the community for the addition of coconut value on the Pacific coast of Cauca for the prioritized products.

Likewise, the capacities identified by the workshop participants are presented (

Table 10. Identification of capacities. Source: Own compilation based on ideas from the technical team and community design team.

Capacities	Capacity Description	Possible Ally
Things they already have	Human capacities with knowledge in personnel management, systems, marketing, administration, sales, accounting	There is capital formed in the community, and young people with training and seeking employment
	Transport	There is an offer of transporters in the territory
Things they do NOT yet have	Human capacities with knowledge of teamwork and associativity	Training with universities
	Personnel with knowledge of coconut transformation processes and procedures	Training and transfer with universities
	Personnel with knowledge in food handling	Training and transfer with universities
	Public services with continuous service	Mayor’s Office, Governor’s Office
	A collection center	Hire
	Machinery and equipment for transformation	Projects with government sources and NGOs Can be purchased from multiple partners
	Endowment	Projects with government sources and NGOs Can be purchased from multiple partners

), clustered according to the capacities they already have and those they do not have, identifying a possible partner or ally.

4. Discussion

To effectively address innovation in rural regions of Latin American countries, it becomes necessary to investigate methodologies adapted to their specific contexts and challenges. The presented approach aligns with the framework proposed by [41], emphasizing the recognition of innovation processes beyond the technological and economic facets aimed at the market. It also encompasses the social and institutional dimensions, which include the integration of novel solutions to address intricate societal issues within the framework of a theory of social change.

Ref. [42] highlights the necessity for societal stakeholders to formulate propositions grounded in an appreciation of the intrinsic value of the natural environment and its multifaceted contributions: encompassing supply, regulation, support, and cultural services. In alignment with this perspective, the employed methodology enabled participants to conceptualize business ventures and discern and rank solutions rooted in the utilization of by-products derived from a comprehension of coconut cultivation as an agroecosystem. Furthermore, it facilitated the anticipation of challenges that might emerge during implementation, including constraints associated with infrastructure, public services, and elevated transportation expenses, among other obstacles—predicaments commonly encountered within rural areas across Latin American nations.

In this regard, a methodology directed towards the prioritization of value-enhancing solutions, grounded in the principles of innovation and inclusive of diverse stakeholders deeply connected to their territories, will undoubtedly be oriented to alternatives aligned with sustainable development. Through the validation of this methodology, as exemplified by the ranked solutions, the involved actors demonstrated a pronounced consideration for both environmental and social dimensions within their decision-making processes. In line with this notion, [43,44,45] highlight a paradigm shift observed in productive entities. These entities, formerly viewed as intensive and extensive production units driven by profit maximization, have progressively evolved into agroecosystems. This transformation signifies a harmonious integration of production practices with soil preservation and biodiversity conservation, thus embodying a sustainable coexistence.

The [7] states that coconut is produced in approximately 93 countries and that it covers a land area of approximately 12.3 million hectares. Mexico is among the best represented. Colombia, however, fails to show as a coconut-producing and coconut-exporting country. The new understanding of coconut crops as an agroecosystem has allowed the identification and prioritization of solutions based on the use of its by-products in the form of activated carbon and agricultural substrates, plastic wood, and mattresses (the last two identified by the community for self-consumption).

The transformation of agricultural substrates from coconut residues is consistent with the proposal made by [46] who state that the management of coconut residues, in addition to generating environmental benefits focused on the mitigation and control of contamination by the transformation of coconut, also generates benefits in the fertilization of crops or gardening and that these residues can be used as fertilizers due to their high concentration of nutrients. The authors agree with the social actors participating in this research, who see the opportunity to take advantage of and recycle organic waste, which translates into the recovery of bio-waste and thus strengthens the circular economy enclaves.

For [47], plastic wood, despite requiring a mixed composition (vegetable residues and reusable plastic residues), has become a notable product since it possesses reliable characteristics such as resistance, malleability, maintenance, and hardness. In addition, its manufacture can reduce environmental pollution and manufacturing costs. Similarly, Ref. [48] affirm that the production of mattresses from coconut fiber is possible. The authors indicate that the use of the fiber has a natural anti-allergenic property, which is why its production becomes a healthy and environmentally friendly option since it allows its recycling and introduction to circular-economy processes, generating benefits for the coconut agro-production collectives linked to this undertaking. The authors’ work supports this solution since it presents a community experience, where coconut fiber was obtained for the manufacture of hypoallergenic ecological mattresses, stating that these mattresses degrade faster because they are a vegetable fiber compared with those made with synthetic fiber, derived from petroleum.

Within the community perspectives, the authors indicate that the actors participating in the process directly benefited economically from the coconut crops and that they also generated sources of work and extra income with manufacturing and marketing. Already, in the case of the coconut collective of Cauca Pacific, this initiative was valued by the community with the orientation towards self-consumption. Since transporting mattresses to their localities is expensive, local production for on-site consumption is a priority.

The solutions proposed and supported are intertwined, as mentioned, with the circular economy. By spontaneously participating, the social actors allowed the hybrid methodology applied here to be validated and adjusted, to such an extent that the projections towards new paths have allowed paths towards economically and environmentally more just and sustainable societies to be undertaken [49]. For this reason, the methodologies engaged herein have allowed social actors to propose solutions that combine the use of nature under social responsibility, where the beneficiaries see in nature the opportunity to undertake and, at the same time, to care for agroecosystems that are their main source of income, as well as understanding that science is not only the application of complex methods, but on the contrary they make up the most significant group for the success of the processes and that ultimately the continuity of the actions proposed as an alternative for better socio-environmental living [50,51].

Consequently, the applied methodologies have allowed the social actors involved to appropriate their feelings and share thoughts of innovation, so that the social work aimed at strengthening entrepreneurial capacities around the use of coconut by-products on the Colombian Pacific coast finds a role within food security/sovereignty/autonomy. The proposed solutions have had the possibility of generating intersectoral and interinstitutional relations with a view to improving the processes from within and with the communities involved. This does not leave aside the difficulties of the territory, but uncovers and reveals the opportunities for change and improvement of the quality of life of the eco-farmers of the Colombian Pacific, that is, business development can be understood from the efforts of the communities, where the social actors are called to be the new entrepreneurs [52].

5. Conclusions

The current study has utilized methodological hybridization, integrating a range of concepts and tools such as the innovation funnel, people-centered design, social innovation, lean startup, scrum, design sprint, the theory of inventive problem solving (TRIZ), strategic framework, and CANVAS, among others. Although these tools are conventionally employed within the business sector, their innovative application in this context embraced the rural collective identity, specifically directed towards enhancing the value of an agricultural product. This approach has yielded several benefits, including the simplification of intricate technical notions, enhanced flexibility in application, and the reinforcement of process legitimacy. The validation phase substantiated that this application stimulates active engagement from the project’s social stakeholders. This validation process efficiently examined a variety of solution ideas, culminating in a consensus amongst the stakeholders on the suitability of three options for implementation within their territory, thereby catalyzing the progress of decision-making, research, and development endeavors.

Establishing trust among stakeholders is an important aspect within any social innovation process. To achieve this, integrating preliminary activities such as technical visits and knowledge dialogues is advisable. These engagements not only enable the technical team to grasp the intricacies of the social, political, geographic, environmental, and technological landscapes, but also empower the community to envision new possibilities for territorial development grounded in innovation and value augmentation of their agricultural products.

The methodological validation allowed the social actors to add value to the coconut by-products via the recognition of the national bioeconomy policy, because the products were consistent with the agroecosystemic realities of the territory and the needs of the participants, in addition to the technological possibilities available at the time of research. The participants showed that the use of biological resources requires their knowledge and hence the application of innovative methodologies that allow them to go hand in hand with sustainability.

The social assimilation of knowledge by the community occurred through the selection of solutions, reflecting that the value addition of the by-products is not only focused on dividend generation. Instead, it encompasses a paradigm shift in societal perceptions and an environmental enrichment of the territory, recognizing that actions undertaken today will have repercussions through future generations. The community acknowledged that within the participatory process facilitated by the methodology, factors common in rural settings such as limited educational attainment, occupational diversity, gender, and age occasionally posed barriers for workshop participants to contribute meaningfully from their unique contexts. Throughout the process, proactive engagement of women and respect for their insights were encouraged, with particular emphasis on their pivotal role in driving solution implementation within the territory.

Both the community and the technical team qualified this methodology as participatory, robust, and applicable to other prioritization endeavors in rural settings, where academia, governance, and local communities converge for sustainable development initiatives. Within the scope of the present research, it is recognized that this methodology integrates qualitative tools, potentially leading to interpretational challenges in certain results. Therefore, external validation remains elusive, or should be carried out in subsequent stages following solution implementation in the territory. Furthermore, each phase of the methodology involves collaborative design with community members, though during dissemination and socialization, some stakeholders voiced disagreement due to non-involvement. To address this, improved pre-engagement and representation in the initial stages are recommended to ensure inclusive participation during progress-sharing with the community. Thus, forthcoming research endeavors may offer insights into effective communication strategies tailored to specific territorial contexts.