Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Food safety

The Food System Microbiome

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

The group met in Ottawa, to hare scientific updates on related activities in countries across the world, plan of mapping exercises as well as learn of funding opportunities under the European Commission’s framework programs.

International Bioeconomy Forum held in Ottawa, Canada on November 27 – 29, 2018.

One of the new words in our scientific vocabulary is “microbiome” What exactly is this and why is it significant?  These questions spurred the Representative to attend a recent meeting of the Food System Microbiome Working Group. 

The word “microbiome” is commonly used to refer to a community of microorganisms in a particular environment. Therefore, microbiomes can exist in the human body (hence the now well-known Human Microbiome Project), ecosystems, agri-food systems and the list could go on.  With an increased appreciation of the nature and functions of the microbiome, understanding the role the microbiome plays in food production and nutrition would clearly help us address some of the environmental and food security challenges facing the world.  This was the underlying rationale of the International Bioeconomy Forum (IBF), a flexible multilateral informal platform established by the European Commission in 2016 to share knowledge, policies, and strategies for promoting innovation in key sectors of the world’s bioeconomy.

The  Food System Microbiome working group is one of  four IBF WG  that met in  Ottawa  November 27th to 29th, to share  scientific updates on related activities in countries across the world, plan mapping exercises as well as learn of funding opportunities under the European Commission’s framework programs.  Comprised of representatives and funding partners from European Commission, Canada, USA, New Zealand, Australia, Argentina, Brazil, China, India, and South Africa, members who attended the meeting ensured that the discourse was pertinent to the overall goals and reflected of the diversity of member countries. 

The IICA Canada Representative was invited to present on the Institute’s new hemispheric program : ‘Bioeconomy and Production Development’, during the Inter-Working Group Dialogue, where contributions were heard from the Plant Health, ICT in Precision Food Systems, and Forest Bioeconomy Work Groups. Synergies were evident and the expanding network will certainly auger well for IICA!

IICA is an Observer Member of the IBF.

For further information:

Dr. Audia Barnett:

Audia.barnett@iica.int

 

Share

Related news​

San José, Costa Rica

July 18, 2025

IICA will co-organize Caribbean Week of Agriculture, to be held in Saint Kitts and Nevis in September, with a focus on building resilience

“Sowing Change, Harvesting Resilience: Transforming our Caribbean Food Systems for 2025 and Beyond” is the title of the 19th edition of Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA), which is scheduled to take place in Saint Kitts and Nevis this year, from September 29 to October 3.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

San José, Costa Rica

July 18, 2025

IICA celebrates “Digital Agriculture Days” to drive agricultural transformation in Latin America and the Caribbean

The 2025 Digital Agriculture Week will take place at IICA Headquarters in San José, Costa Rica, from September 22 to 25.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

San José, Costa Rica

July 16, 2025

FONTAGRO and IICA launch the “LATAM 2025 Agro-bioentrepreneurship with Impact” competition to promote agricultural innovation in Latin America

This competition is an opportunity for entrepreneurs to improve their projects, and is designed to strengthen the region’s bio-entrepreneurial ecosystem by promoting collaboration and knowledge sharing among the participants.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins