This paper analyzes the evolution and structure of Colombia's agricultural research network, paying special attention to the role of government expenditures in modeling this system. The authors also compare the Colombian agricultural network with the path followed by the Brazilian agricultural sector, which has been considered a pattern in South America. For this purpose, a bibliographic review and historical and institutional data are presented. Although agricultural research in Colombia began in the early 20th century, it has evolved more recently with the creation of different public and private institutions linked to the National Science and Technology System. However, agriculture and its research sector have faced major challenges related to government endowments that are needed to fund infrastructure and demand for researchers, as well as lower competitiveness compared to their Brazilian counterparts determined by social profit.