IICA Director General Manuel Otero gave a detailed account of his administration, just two months shy of his departure from the General Directorate of the hemispheric organization and after eight years at its helm.
Brasilia, 4 November 2025 (IICA) – The ministers of Agriculture of the Americas, meeting in Brasilia, were unanimous in their praise of Manuel Otero’s leadership of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and highlighted his contribution to transforming agriculture in the hemisphere.
During the Conference of Ministers of Agriculture of the Americas 2025, Otero gave a detailed account of his administration, just two months shy of his departure from the General Directorate of the hemispheric organization and after eight years at its helm. His successor will be elected by the ministers at the Conference, which has been organized by the Government of Brazil and IICA.
After Otero’s presentation, the ministers offered their own assessment of the Argentinian veterinarian’s administration of the hemispheric organization, which began in January 2018.
The organization’s use of technology and innovation to drive the productivity and resilience of agriculture; the forging of partnerships to strengthen collective action; solidarity with countries with production systems that are vulnerable to natural disasters; the reduction of bureaucracy in the Institute’s decisions, as much as possible; and coordinated efforts in the region to control pests and diseases that threaten the food security and economies of the countries were some aspects of Otero’s management of IICA that were most commended by the countries.
The delegate of the United States pointed out that Otero’s administration had demonstrated that the key to improving agriculture in the Americas was not bureaucracy but strengthening farmers. “IICA has clearly shown that science-based solutions are decisive in enabling farmers to protect their production and income”, said Michelle Bekkering, representative of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), who lauded regional efforts in the area of food health and safety, in particular.
Carlos Fávaro, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of Brazil—the country that was elected to preside over the Inter-American Board of Agriculture (IABA), IICA’s highest governing body, for the next two years—reflected on the Institute’s work and focused on efforts to achieve consensus among the various countries of the region, which have varying production realities.
Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of Argentina, Sergio Iraeta, remarked that, “As a fellow Argentinian, I am proud to hear so many words of praise for Manuel from representatives from all corners of the hemisphere, from Alaska in the North to Tierra del Fuego in the South. Thank you for recognizing the work of Manuel Otero”.
Rafael Ortiz Quezada, Deputy Minister of Scientific and Technological Affairs at the Ministry of Agriculture of the Dominican Republic, announced that his country is “about to disappear from the global hunger map” thanks to an increase in agricultural productivity. He praised the contribution made by IICA, “which has always stood by Caribbean countries, addressing their needs”.
After Otero’s presentation, the ministers praised the Argentinian veterinarian’s administration of the hemispheric organization, which began in January 2018.
Víctor Carvajal, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of Costa Rica, praised IICA for the role it has played during particularly turbulent times as a leading voice in the agriculture sector, defending its interests and refuting unfounded accusations that link all agricultural activity to environmental degradation.
International forums and funding
The Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock of Honduras, Laura Suazo—the first woman ever to hold this position in that Central American country—highlighted the role played by IICA in representing agriculture of the Americas at the most important international forums and in managing international financing.
“In recent years, IICA has become our voice at the COP climate change conferences and endorses our efforts to obtain resources from various green funds. It has also played a critical role in preventing risks and disasters that affect production systems”, she said.
“Otero is the kind of Director General that an international organization like IICA should have”, said Indar Weir, Minister of Agriculture and Food Security of Barbados, highlighting IICA’s support and solidarity amid the difficult reality facing agriculture in the Caribbean islands, which are vulnerable to increasingly extreme and frequent climate events.
Paraguay’s Deputy Minister of Livestock, Marcelo González, acknowledged IICA’s leadership in modernizing agriculture and incorporating technology in the region, while Guyana’s Minister of Agriculture, Zulfikar Mustapha, emphasized the importance of fostering a new narrative, which he described as “a call to action.”
“IICA has been a key ally of Uruguay”, said the country’s Minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries, Luis Alfredo Fratti Silveira, who congratulated Otero on the agency’s promotion of a new narrative that sheds light on the reality of the region’s agriculture sector.
“With respect to climate change, it is important to understand that agriculture is not the problem, but rather a solution, thanks to carbon sequestration carried out by natural grasslands and forests”, explained Fratti Silveira.
Speaking on behalf of his country, the Deputy Minister of Rural Development and Innovation of Ecuador, Marco Antonio Oviedo, underscored IICA’s contribution to the development of Ecuador’s agriculture sector and, in particular, its collaboration in developing Ecuador’s 2025-2034 National Agricultural Policy, which seeks to position Ecuador as a regional leader in sustainable agrifood systems.
More information:
Institutional Communication Division.
comunicacion.institucional@iica.int
