Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Competitiveness

Representative’s Message

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.
Dr. Audia Barnett,
Representative,
IICA Delegation in Canada.
Dr. Audia Barnett,
Representative,
IICA Delegation in Canada.

The final months of the year have typically been characterized by a feverish pace to complete projects, reports and other obligations.  Undaunted by this, the Delegation in Canada proceeded to also embrace several new activities.  A Rapid Response Action was undertaken, as well as the co-organization and execution of two international workshops.  Special kudos to the Delegation’s Ysabel Giroux who demonstrated IICA’s value-added in event management!  The Delegation also welcomed a new Technical Specialist, Lindsay, who hit the ground running with the new call for applications for the Delegation’s Research & internship Assistance Programme (RIAP).  The Fall also appears to be the preferred time of year for conferences and symposia.  Team members were therefore participants at local events in Ottawa as well as on the international scene.   An interesting event was the Lobby Day, in which the Agricultural Institute of Canada in collaboration with stakeholders such as IICA promoted the importance of agricultural research and innovation to Parliamentarians.

The Delegation in celebrating IICA’s 75th anniversary, highlighted the fact that 2017 marked  45 years since the Government of Canada joined the IICA family.  The double-anniversary event which was hosted turned out to be a fitting occasion to recognize two individuals who have been champions and supporters of IICA’s programs over the years. 

Notwithstanding the exhilarating period, the highlight for the Delegation was the election of the Institute’s new Director General in the person of Dr. Manuel Otero. The Delegation in Canada extends congratulations to Dr. Otero.   Based on his vision and past achievements, the team anticipates he will have a stellar tenure at the helm of the Institute.

For more information:

Dr. Audia Barnett

Audia.barnett@iica.int

Share

Related news​

Ciudad de México, México y San José, Costa Rica

April 24, 2026

AGRICULTURA and IICA strengthen cooperation to promote food sovereignty and agricultural health in Mexico

The Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development (AGRICULTURA) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) signed a General Cooperation and Project Management Agreement designed to strengthen technical cooperation targeted at the agrifood sector, the wellbeing of rural communities, and the food sovereignty of Mexico.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

San José, Costa Rica

April 23, 2026

IICA and the Hemispheric Bioinputs Platform launch a series of international dialogues on innovations that are revolutionizing this key sector for agriculture in the Americas

As many as 180 people from a number of countries across the region took part in the first session in the series, which was entitled The new generation of CRISPR-edited microbial biofertilizers. CRISPR is a biotech tool used to modify the DNA of microorganisms such as fungi and bacteria with great precision, so that they absorb nutrients and interact with crops more efficiently, giving rise to technologies with less environmental impact.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

San José

April 22, 2026

With IICA’s participation, consortium of national agricultural research systems solidifies its standing as a united voice to influence global innovation agendas

A year after its launch, the global consortium that brings together national agricultural research systems (NARS) has taken important steps towards solidifying its standing as a united voice, with the aim of influencing policymaking, mobilizing resources, and participating effectively in international agendas on this topic.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins