IFRS implementation challenges in Southern Colombia’s agricultural sector

Abstract

In the agricultural sector of Huila, particularly among SMEs in coffee, cocoa, fish, and rice subsectors, the transition to the International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) is paramount yet challenging. This research aims to offer management guidelines to support Huila’s agricultural SMEs in their IFRS transition, underpinning the region’s aspirations for financial standardization and economic advancement. Utilizing a mixed-methods managerial approach, data was gathered from 13 representative companies using validated questionnaires, interviews, and analyzed with SPSS and ATLAS.ti. Results indicate that while there is evident progress in IFRS adoption, 12 out of 13 firms adopted IFRS, with rice leading in terms of adoption duration. While 77% found IFRS useful for financial statements, half reported insufficient staff training. The transition highlighted challenges, including asset recognition and valuation, and emphasized enhancing institutional support and IFRS training. Interviews revealed managerial commitment and expertise as significant factors. Recommendations for successful implementation include leadership involvement, continuous professional development, anticipating costs, clear accounting policies, and meticulous record-keeping. The study concludes that adopting IFRS enhances financial reporting quality, urging entities to converge their reporting practices without hesitation for improved comparability, relevance, and reliability in their financial disclosures.