Otero stressed that although Latin America is facing challenges in terms of access and malnutrition, it continues to be a primary source of food security and regional and global nutrition.
Panama City, 31 January 2025 (IICA) – Agrifood systems of the region play a pivotal role in feeding the world and must be central to regional development strategies, given their interaction with science and technology, according to Manuel Otero, Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA). Otero was attending the first edition of the Latin America and Caribbean International Economic Forum, held in Panama City.
“How to return to the path of growth?” was the title of the event, which was organized by CAF- Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean and inaugurated by President of Panama, José Raúl Mulino.
In a region that remains trapped in a cycle of low growth, high levels of informality and glaring inequality, the forum was a point of discussion among industry leaders, academics, entrepreneurs and government and international authorities, who over the two-day period presented ideas and actions to foster sustainable economic development.
The forum featured speakers from fifteen countries, including regional and global leaders, such as Santiago Peña, President of Paraguay; Mateo Renzi, former Prime Minister of Italy; Helle Thorning Schmidt, former Prime Minister of Denmark; Rebeca Grynspan, Secretary General of the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD); and Andrés Allamand, Ibero-American Secretary-General. A pre-recorded message by Managing Director of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), Kristalina Georgieva, was also played.
In his presentation, Otero stressed that although Latin America is facing challenges in terms of access and malnutrition, it continues to be a primary source of food security and regional and global nutrition, given its production capacity, diversification and leadership in the international food trade.
He noted that, “Latin America and the Caribbean is essential in guaranteeing global food security. Adopting a strategic vision and drawing on our strengths and on cooperation, will not only allow us to overcome internal challenges, but also to consolidate our position as a driver for regional and global growth and development”.
Moreover, he noted that science and technology would be the most valuable assets in revitalizing agriculture and positioning it as a central component in a new path to economic growth and sustainability.
Reimagining the future
During the meeting—held at the Panama Convention Center—the participants agreed that the region is at a critical juncture. It must now reimagine its future and chart the course towards an economy in which productivity and the well-being of the entire population go hand in hand, based on the region’s natural resources and its young and vibrant population.
Otero also spoke of the crucial role of agrifood systems in the development of the Latin American and Caribbean region, guaranteeing not only the availability of food, but also significantly impacting the economy, employment, trade, environmental sustainability and social well-being.
Moreover, he explained that production is not the main challenge, as the region produces 28% more than the minimum calories that its population requires. Instead, “The challenge, he warned, is to ensure equitable distribution of and access to this food. It is also critical that we recognize the role of trade in guaranteeing food availability, by moving products from food-surplus countries to food-deficit countries”.
As a speaker in the panel discussion on “Food security and sustainability. Transforming food challenges into development opportunities for Latin America”, the IICA Director General noted that together biotechnology, bioeconomy, digitalization and international cooperation will be the key to transforming agrifood systems”.
He explained that, “These innovations not only increase agricultural productivity, but also guarantee sustainability, inclusion and resilience, ensuring that small farmers are not left behind in this process”.
In referring to biotechnology, he recalled that Latin America had been a pioneer in the adoption of genetically modified crops that have significantly impacted productivity and the environment, allowing farmers to use less land, while preserving forests and fragile ecosystems. He then spoke of advances such as gene editing, which are transforming strategic crops and facilitating bioinput production.
He also gave a detailed explanation of IICA’s work as a bridge between technology developers and countries, helping to identify the most appropriate technologies for each production context.
Otero then retraced the development of the bioeconomy in the region, describing it as a transformative frontier for agrifood systems, harnessing science, technology and innovation, particularly in challenging contexts.
Other speakers in the “Food security and sustainability. Transforming food challenges into development opportunities for Latin America” panel discussion were Alicia Montalvo, Manager of Climate Action and Positive Biodiversity at CAF; Susana Socolovsky, President of the Argentine Association of Food Technologists; and Gonzalo Uriarte, President of Alimentos y Bebidas de Chile (AB Chile), who also served as moderator.
Montalvo stressed the impact of climate change on agriculture and the need to spread prosperity to individuals in all links of the agriculture sector, including by improving rural infrastructure, so that the image of Latin America and the Caribbean as a “region of solutions” would gradually include a reduction in inequality.
Socolovsky therefore stressed the importance of the sector in producing safe and nutritious food and its essential role in preservation and waste reduction. He also called for an end to the attacks directed at the processing sector.
More information:
Institutional Communication Division.
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