Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Agriculture

Agriculture and International Development: A Fruitful Combination

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

A meeting held with Ms. Celina Caesar-Chavannes, the Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry, was quite encouraging. 

Ms. Celina Caesar-Chavannes, Parliamentary Secretary
to the Minister of International Development, Dr. Audia
Barnett, IICA Canada Representative and Ms. Lindsay
Vyvey, Technical Cooperation Specialist, IICA

Global Affairs Canada (GAC) is a powerhouse in the Canadian Federal Government – having three resident Ministers with portfolios: Foreign Affairs, International Development and La Francophonie and International Trade. Among GAC’s priorities are the strengthening of Canada’s contribution to a more just, inclusive and sustainable world as well as increasing and diversifying international trade, and foreign direct investment.   Although IICA’s programs reflect aspects of each of the three Ministries, the Ministry with portfolio responsibility for IICA (OAS and other such organizations) is the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.     However, noting the relevance of the new Feminist International Assistance Policy (FIAP) launched by the Ministry of International Development and La Francophonie, the Delegation initiated contact to introduce the scope of IICA’s mandate and work in the Americas.

A meeting held with Ms. Celina Caesar-Chavannes, the Parliamentary Secretary for the Ministry, was quite encouraging. Joined by representatives from Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) and Global Affairs Canada, discussions centered around the synergies between the FIAP and IICA’s activities in Latin American and Caribbean countries.   Ms. Caesar-Chavannes was particularly concerned about climate resilience in the Caribbean, as well as engaging youth in agriculture to achieve long term sustainability of the agricultural sector.  She was also enthusiastic about prospects for replicating a project recently concluded by the IICA Canada Delegation: “Value-Added Opportunities for Small-Scale Cacao Producers”, as it epitomized the values that are being promoted by her Ministry – namely economic empowerment of women and environmental sustainability, as well as strengthening value-added opportunities for smallholder farmers.

The Representative and Technical Cooperation Specialist were pleased with the interaction and anticipate further engagement with this dynamic portfolio.

For more information:

Dr. Audia Barnett

audia.barnett@iica.int

Share

Related news​

El presidente de la Bolsa de Cereales de Buenos Aires, Argentina, Ricardo Marra, durante su participación en el diálogo hemisférico Experiencias transformadoras y escalables para una nueva generación de políticas públicas para los sistemas agroalimentarios.

San José, Costa Rica

October 10, 2025

At IICA Headquarters in Costa Rica, Ricardo Marra, President of the Buenos Aires Grain Exchange, calls for all stakeholders to be involved in the construction of sustainable agrifood policies in order to produce better

He emphasized the importance of the issue during the hemispheric dialogue, “Transformative and scalable experiences for a new generation of public policies for agrifood systems”

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

San José, Costa Rica

October 10, 2025

Experts from international organizations, attending a meeting at IICA, argued that the challenging global environment calls for a new generation of public policies for agrifood systems

Various experts from international organizations attending a meeting at the Headquarters of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) agreed that the challenging global environment of geopolitical changes, extreme weather phenomena and ecological transformations calls for the development of a new generation of public policies for agrifood systems.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

México

October 8, 2025

Gisela Illescas Palma, a rural leader enamored with the countryside and a promoter of sustainable development and a unique coffee brand, is named an IICA Leader of Rurality of the Americas

Illescas stands out for her work aimed at driving the development of dozens of farming families in her region, her efforts to defend rural women’s rights, and her passion for the land and coffee, which serves as an inspiration for others.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins