Following the eruption of the Arenas crater, which occurred in 1985, regional leaders began to recognize the region’s weakness in responding to its main economic and social development problems. The importance of research as a strategy to attack these problems was also recognized. In the region, and especially in the department of Caldas, the promotion of research had been rather incipient, and traditionally depended on the conjunctural work of the universities. This is how it was decided, in 1986, to create an institution that would serve as constant support in the formulation of economic and social policies and programs, based on permanent investigative work on regional problems. Initially, the work of CRECE was aimed at detecting the productive possibilities of the region, with the basic purpose of helping business activity in the department of Caldas. However, over the years, the need arose to expand the scope of its activities to other aspects of development. In this way, the institution has gradually become a center for diagnosis, policy generation, and a space for constant reflection on Regional Development. long-term goals of national and regional development actors. CRECE works in four specific research areas: Regional Development, Coffee Economy, Social and Institutional Development, and Education. Through specialization and collaboration in these four areas, CRECE can make a difference in reducing rural poverty and developing Colombian agricultural regions by producing new knowledge.