On Monday October 1^st, a launch event for the SUFICA project took place at the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, in Santiago. The event was opened by the College of Agriculture and Forestry Dean. The SUFICA project leaders presented the concept of ecological intensification (Dr Lynn Dicks) and an overview of the project (Dr Eduardo Arellano). Vinina Ferreira introduced us to the Caatinga. Other SUFICA researchers presented their previous work on bees (Dr Patricia Luiza de Oliveira Rebouças) and coffee pollination in the caatinga (Dr Fabiana Oliveira da Silva) and birds in Californian vineyards (Dr Andres Muñoz-Sáez).