Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Competitiveness

Representative’s Message

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.
Dr. Audia Barnett,
Representative,
IICA Delegation in Canada.
Dr. Audia Barnett,
Representative,
IICA Delegation in Canada.

The final months of the year have typically been characterized by a feverish pace to complete projects, reports and other obligations.  Undaunted by this, the Delegation in Canada proceeded to also embrace several new activities.  A Rapid Response Action was undertaken, as well as the co-organization and execution of two international workshops.  Special kudos to the Delegation’s Ysabel Giroux who demonstrated IICA’s value-added in event management!  The Delegation also welcomed a new Technical Specialist, Lindsay, who hit the ground running with the new call for applications for the Delegation’s Research & internship Assistance Programme (RIAP).  The Fall also appears to be the preferred time of year for conferences and symposia.  Team members were therefore participants at local events in Ottawa as well as on the international scene.   An interesting event was the Lobby Day, in which the Agricultural Institute of Canada in collaboration with stakeholders such as IICA promoted the importance of agricultural research and innovation to Parliamentarians.

The Delegation in celebrating IICA’s 75th anniversary, highlighted the fact that 2017 marked  45 years since the Government of Canada joined the IICA family.  The double-anniversary event which was hosted turned out to be a fitting occasion to recognize two individuals who have been champions and supporters of IICA’s programs over the years. 

Notwithstanding the exhilarating period, the highlight for the Delegation was the election of the Institute’s new Director General in the person of Dr. Manuel Otero. The Delegation in Canada extends congratulations to Dr. Otero.   Based on his vision and past achievements, the team anticipates he will have a stellar tenure at the helm of the Institute.

For more information:

Dr. Audia Barnett

Audia.barnett@iica.int

Share

Related news​

Ciudad de Panamá, Panamá

January 30, 2026

On his first international mission, the new Director General of IICA places agricultural development cooperation at the center of the Latin American and Caribbean agenda

The new Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Muhammad Ibrahim, took part in the International Economic Forum for Latin America and the Caribbean, organized by CAF, where he held meetings with senior authorities from Jamaica, Ecuador, Paraguay, Panama and other international organizations, seeking to scale up programs and projects aimed at underpinning agricultural development, the well-being of rural producers and food security in the region.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Bridgetown, Barbados

January 28, 2026

IICA and partners foster buyer-seller connections to boost Caribbean agri-food trade

IICA initiated this intervention to promote intra-regional trade and respond to the challenges arising from the COVID-19 pandemic.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Panama City

January 23, 2026

Panama, with IICA’s support, discusses adding ethanol to its fuel mix, creating new opportunities for the agro-industrial sector

IICA is providing technical support in the discussion of the initiative, based on the premise that ethanol and other liquid biofuels—fuels produced from biological sources—represent a major opportunity for Panama and for the rest of the countries of the Americas, given the wide availability of biomass both in the isthmus and in the region.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins