Representatives of 18 organizations from countries across the Americas participated virtually in the Third Meeting of Agricultural and Agribusiness Federations.
San José, 17 July 2026 (IICA) – Federations representing agri-food businesses from across the Americas have endorsed the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture’s (IICA) new strategic guidelines for the 2026-2030 period, which aim to strengthen resilience, increase productivity, promote social well-being, and advance the sustainability of agriculture throughout the region.
Representatives of 18 organizations from countries across the Americas participated virtually in the Third Meeting of Agricultural and Agroindustrial Federations, during which IICA Director General Muhammad Ibrahim presented the Institute’s 2026-2030 Medium-term Plan (MTP), the roadmap that will guide its technical cooperation agenda over the next four years.
Participants welcomed the IICA MTP‘s approach and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening collaboration between the private sector and IICA to accelerate the adoption of innovation, promote science-based regulatory frameworks, and expand opportunities for producers and agribusinesses across the region.
Presented by Ibrahim at the meeting organized by IICA and FECAGRO, the MTP of the Institute is structured around four core technical cooperation programs: Science, technology and innovation for productive development; International trade, regional integration and agribusiness; Agricultural health, biosecurity, and food safety and quality; and Strategic natural resources for the productivity and resilience of agri-food systems.
The IICA Director General emphasized that strategic partnerships with the private sector are essential to advancing the region’s agri-food systems.
“The private sector is developing cutting-edge technological solutions across the Americas to drive productivity, and IICA is a key partner in scaling up those innovations,” said Ibrahim. “Addressing global challenges that affect private-sector stakeholders, such as fertilizer shortages, requires coordinated action, and IICA plays an irreplaceable role in facilitating that coordination,” he added.
“We value IICA‘s collaboration in making this meeting possible for the third consecutive year, reflecting the agricultural business community’s commitment to conveying a clear message to policymakers: agriculture is essential for food production, competitiveness, stability, and prosperity in our countries,” said Agustín Martínez, President of FECAGRO.
Listening to those who work the land
The meeting was held under the theme “Advancing More Competitive and Resilient Agri-food Systems.”
Representatives of agricultural business organizations from across the hemisphere identified the sector’s key priorities as strengthening competitiveness and productivity; promoting trade and regional integration; advancing science, technology and innovation; reinforcing agricultural health and biosecurity; improving strategic management of water, soil and biodiversity; strengthening resilience to risks and emergencies; and enhancing coordination among representative organizations in the sector.
One of the meeting’s principal outcomes was the agreement to establish the FECAGRO Americas Network, a voluntary collaboration mechanism that will strengthen the exchange of experiences and promote common positions on strategic issues.
Héctor Ferreira, of the National Federation of Farmers and Livestock Producers of Honduras (FENAGH), said that Central America’s agricultural business community’s priority is to increase production while preserving profitability. “To achieve that,” he noted, “we need concrete regional responses in agricultural health, infrastructure, logistics, water management, and access to technology. Problems do not stop at national borders, and neither can the solutions.”
Felipe Spaniol, of the Brazilian Confederation of Agriculture and Livestock (CNA), said that IICA‘s work plan aligns closely with the Brazilian agricultural sector’s strategic priorities. “One important point of convergence is our shared conviction that we must eliminate barriers to international food trade that often fail to recognize different production systems or national legislation, thereby becoming unjustified trade restrictions.”
“We fully support IICA’s plan. The key now is to translate it into concrete actions in each country to reduce growing uncertainty in international markets, address climate challenges, and achieve genuine technological transformation to guarantee food security,” said Luis Fernando Haro, of Mexico’s National Agricultural Council.
Nick Gardner, of the US Dairy Export Council, explained that U.S. dairy exporters have been long-standing partners of IICA and welcomed the Institute’s expanded agenda. “IICA has been instrumental in advancing science-based policies,” he said. “We stand ready to continue working together.”
José Perdomo, of CropLife Latin America, stated: “We are fully aligned with IICA‘s MTP as representatives of companies that invest in agricultural technology. Science-based regulations benefit small, medium-sized, and large farmers alike. IICA is our strategic partner, and we count on the Institute to help defend our agriculture and address the challenges ahead.”
For his part, Ariel Londinsky, of the Pan-American Dairy Federation (FEPALE), highlighted the strong collaboration between the two organizations. “Our work programs complement one another, and that gives us great confidence and enthusiasm to continue working together.”
During the meeting, the private-sector organizations approved a declaration recognizing agriculture as a fundamental pillar of security, stability and prosperity in the Americas, and affirming that the region has the potential to become the world’s most reliable, innovative, and sustainable agri-food region through collaboration among the private sector, governments and IICA.
Gloria Abraham, Special Advisor to the IICA Director General; Lloyd Day, IICA Deputy Director General; Muhammad Ibrahim, IICA Director General; and Valeria Piñeiro, IICA Director of Technical Cooperation.
Opening the meeting, IICA’s Deputy Director General Lloyd Day emphasized that international discussions on transforming agri-food systems must include the perspectives of farmers and livestock producers. “Competitive and resilient agricultural systems cannot be built without listening to those of you who work the land,” he said.
Also participating was IICA Director of Technical Cooperation Valeria Piñeiro, who stressed that while the agri-food sector in the Americas should unite around common objectives, it must also recognize the unique characteristics of different countries and production regions. “Building partnerships is essential—both around our shared priorities and our differences. We must focus on generating scientific evidence and identifying both barriers and enabling factors to become more productive and competitive,” she said.
More information:
Institutional Communication Division.
comunicacion.institucional@iica.int
