San José, 4 December 2025 (IICA). The heads of public agricultural research institutions in Latin America and the Caribbean recognized the leadership of the Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Manuel Otero, and his commitment to the region’s agrifood systems,cornerstonesforthe sustainable development of the region.
Representatives of various countries across the continent who are members of the Governing Council of FONTAGRO, a leading mechanism for agricultural technological innovation, highlighted the importance of Otero’s work. Otero has been at the helm of IICA since January 2018 and will leave his post on January 15, when agronomist Muhammad Ibrahim, a citizen of Guyana, will take office as the new Director General.
During his tenure at IICA, Otero has made every effort to strengthen FONTAGRO,given the important role that the regional fund plays in making the agrifood sector more competitive, reducing poverty and promoting the sustainable use of natural resources.
FONTAGRO is currently implementing 212 agricultural innovation projects, in which more than 8000 researchers are involved.
“Manuel Otero’s vision has transformed agricultural cooperation in our region”, said Nicolás Bronzovich, President of Argentina’s National Agricultural Research Institute (INTA).
Jorge Ganoza Roncal, Executive President of Peru’s National Agricultural Innovation Institute (INIA), thanked Otero “for his steadfast support for efforts to enhance our capabilities”.
María Teresa Pino, Head of the Food Area at Chile’s Agricultural Research Institute (INIA), said that “Otero’s commitment to innovation and research has been key to improving our capabilities”.
Miguel Serrano López, Executive Director of the Colombian Agricultural Research Corporation (AGROSAVIA), underlined the IICA Director General’s ability to unite different nations in a common cause.
José Roberto Camacho Montero, Executive Director of Costa Rica’s National Institute for Innovation and Transfer in Agriculture Technology (INTA), remarked that “Manuel Otero’s dedication to food security has been an example to us all”.
The ability to address changing challenges
The IICA Director General’s support for FONTAGRO’s 15 member countrieswas underscored by Raúl Jaramillo, Director of Ecuador’s National Agricultural Research Institute (INIAP), who referred to his ability to address the changing challenges in agriculture.
Alexandra Rodríguez, acting head of Panama’s Agricultural Innovation Institute (IDIAP), commented that Otero’s work had been key to promote innovation in the agriculture sector.
Miguel Sierra, President of Uruguay’s National Agricultural Research Institute (INIA) then referred to Otero’s “tireless efforts to unite the agricultural community of Latin America”.
“His impact has been profound and his legacy continues to guide our daily actions”, said Margaret Gutiérrez of Venezuela’s National Institute of Agricultural Research (INIA), while Windson July Martinez, from Bolivia’s National Agricultural and Forestry Innovation Institute (INIAF), urged Otero to “continue” with his work on behalf of sustainable development and the strengthening of rural communities.
Edgar Esteche, from the Paraguayan Agricultural Technology Institute (IPTA), thanked Otero “for believing in our capacity to generate positive changes in rural areas” and Eladio Arnaud Santana, from the Dominican Agricultural and Forestry Research Institute (IDIAF), stressed the “enthusiasm and leadership with which he has helped us all move forward together in the battle for the productive development of the region”.
The Executive Secretary of FONTAGRO, Eugenia Saini, referred to the importance of the partnership between IICA and the regional technological innovation fund.
“Manuel Otero opened the doors of IICA to usat a difficult time, when FONTAGRO was trying to figure how it was going to continue working. At IICA, we discovered phenomenal work teams and representatives in the countries with whom we have been able to scale up the technologies that emerge from FONTAGRO projects”, Saini remarked.
“We urge Otero—she concluded—to continue his work with the scientific community of Latin America and the Caribbean, as his leadership has put us back on the map. We are now part of international dialogues in which we had not been involved hitherto”.
More information:
Institutional Communication Division.
comunicacion.institucional@iica.int
