The year was off to a great start for the IICA Delegation in Canada in the 3 main themes reflected in our revised Country Strategy – technical cooperation projects with Canadian partners, technical addressing technical capacity in member states and maintaining interest and support of Canadian Government.
Ottawa, ON. Demonstrating its value as a facilitator, coordinator as well as an implementer, the Delegation was able to cop a new project for the Caribbean, coordinate its FonTC project and implement several knowledge sharing activities. A special initiative of the Delegation was a commissioned study of the Seasonal Agricultural Worker Program (SAWP) in Canada, for identifying prospects for technical knowledge transfer before and after placements. While very different from the Delegation’s usual interest areas, the study revealed a great niche area worthy of further exploration by IICA and the participating countries.
With the constant change of Heads of Missions, one of the pleasant tasks as Representative is alerting new Ambassadors and High Commissioners to the presence and role of IICA in Canada. Ambassadors of Guatemala, El Salvador, Brazil and Bolivia who all started their tour of duty during the cold Canadian winter months, were pleased to be reminded mutual interests in Canada and opportunities for collaboration.
IICA’s Northern regional agenda as well as PROCINORTE’s reinforced the special elements that characterize both platforms. This was evident while participating in the Global Forum on Agricultural Research (GFAR) Steering Committee in Rome. Notwithstanding pending policy shifts in the Northern region, with the wealth of technologies and innovations, its involvement in the achievement of the SDGs is anticipated. This was also echoed during the Delegation’s Mini-Retreat when team members addressed means for ensuring the Institute was seen as a choice partner for Canada and the hemisphere.
The Delegation in Canada is prepared for the year ahead that will be characterized by change!
