The need to define more specific plans for achieving the objectives of the CGIAR Research Program on Roots, Tubers and Bananas (RTB) brought together a broad range of stakeholders from 18-22 February 2013 to attend a workshop at CIAT Headquarters in Cali, Colombia. The workshop, Strategies for improving livelihoods through RTB postharvest technologies, was attended by representatives of the four CGIAR Centers involved in RTB - the International Potato Center (CIP), Bioversity International, the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) and the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA) - as well as university, national and regional research organizations: CIRAD (France), NRI (UK), FONTAGRO (USA) and national partners Univalle, Uniquindio, Fedeplatano and Banur (Colombia), FHIA (Honduras), CLAYUCA Corporation (Colombia) and EMBRAPA (Brazil). Achieving a shared vision and a common understanding of institutional links and partnership opportunities to build on CGIAR work were major goals of the workshop. The first two days of the workshop took an intensive look at issues relevant to post harvest technologies, markets and value chains for RTB. Participants presented their insights and experiences on gender, nutrition and food safety issues; improving RTB quality management and adding value in small and medium enterprises; research oriented toward consumer end user preferences; and strategies to improve livelihoods through improved value chain organization. The workshop was punctuated on the first day by a demonstration - organized by CLAYUCA Corporation - of the different technologies available for the postharvest processing of root crops and on the third day by a field visit to a number of plantain and cassava processing factories in Armenia. The visit gave participants an opportunity to observe the challenges faced by processors and some of the innovative solutions they are using to overcome them. Presentations on communications and impact pathwa