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​

“Panel sobre ciencia, innovación y sostenibilidad agrícola en la COP30, organizado por el IICA en Belém do Pará, Brasil. Expertos discuten la transformación de la agricultura en las Américas mediante tecnología, investigación y sistemas agroalimentarios sostenibles.

Belém do Pará, Brasil

November 12, 2025

Evidence, science and results: IICA panel discussion at COP30 highlights the need for a new narrative on agriculture that demonstrates the important role of the Americas in food and environmental security

Rural leaders, producer organizations and public authorities involved in agricultural research all agreed on the need for a new narrative to demonstrate how farmers in the Americas are transforming their activities, by way of science, technology and innovation, to become guarantors of the world’s food, energy and environmental security, while also increasing resilience and protecting biodiversity.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Belém do Pará, Brasil

November 12, 2025

Izabella Teixeira, former Minister of the Environment of Brazil and a globally renowned expert  on the relationship between economic development and climate, recognized as an IICA Goodwill Ambassador before ministers of Agriculture of the Americas

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Durante la ceremonia de suscripción del convenio, el Director General del IICA, Manuel Otero, recibió un reconocimiento en nombre de EMBRAPA, que entregó su presidenta, Silvia Massruhá, por su contribución y compromiso con la cooperación técnica y científica a favor de una agricultura sostenible e inclusiva en el continente.

Belém do Pará, Brazil

November 11, 2025

At COP30 in Belém do Pará, EMBRAPA and IICA strengthen their partnership to drive science and technology use in Latin American and Caribbean agriculture

At the Agrizone of the conference in Belém do Pará, the two institutions signed an agreement formalizing their cooperation, aimed at implementing the Radar Agtech initiative, which promotes innovation in the agricultural ecosystem, across the entire region.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins