Valle del Cauca is a fertile large agricultural valley at an elevation just over 3000 feet between the Andes central and western mountain ranges. The valley’s rich alluvial soils, warm climate, and abundant freshwater resources make it ideal for agriculture, and its primary crop is sugarcane, grown on vast commercial plantations that dominate the landscape. The department of Valle del Cauca, which encompasses most of the valley, is the largest producer of sugarcane in Colombia, with a significant portion of the harvest used for refined sugar and ethanol production. A notable feature of sugarcane farming in the region is the pre-harvest burning of the crop. This practice eliminates excess foliage (leaves) and facilitates easier manual cutting while increasing sugar concentration in the cane stalks. As a result, plumes of smoke rising from various parts of the valley are a common daily sight. The city of Santiago de Cali is on the northwestern edge of the valley.