The Argentine province of Jujuy and IICA join forces to promote the incorporation of new technologies into agriculture and strengthen value chains

San Salvador de Jujuy, 12 November 2024 (IICA). The Government of the province of Jujuy, in northwestern Argentina, and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) are to work together to promote more sustainable agriculture through innovation and the use of technology.
This is the objective of the technical cooperation agreement signed in the capital of Jujuy, which is designed to strengthen and enhance the province’s productive sector and contribute to food and nutrition security.

The agreement calls for the joint implementation of projects and activities on issues such as agriculture, climate change and natural resource management; the productivity and competitiveness of the agrifood sector; territorial development and rural wellbeing; animal and plant health; youth and gender equity; and the sustainability of livestock farming and natural resources.

Fernando Camargo, IICA’s Representative in Argentina, who signed the agreement, headed the inter-American organization’s team of specialists that visited Jujuy and toured the facilities of Cannava, the country’s first public enterprise dedicated to the production of cannabis-based medicinal products, which is owned by the province of Jujuy. Designed to meet a public health need, the project consists of scientific research, agricultural production, industrial pharmaceutical processing, and institution building.

Camargo highlighted the Province of Jujuy’s initiative and stressed the role of science and innovation in the transformation of agriculture to meet the increasingly heavy demands being placed on the sector. “Only by incorporating new technologies, to which all farmers must have access, will we be able to consolidate the competitiveness of agricultural production, while guaranteeing environmental protection,” said the IICA Representative in Argentina.

Adaptation to the local situation

The agreement provides for the development of technologies adapted to the situation on the ground in Jujuy (part of the province suffers from water shortages), such as new cultivation techniques that maximize productivity and sustainable management practices to improve yield and soil care.

“Our aim with this agreement is to boost the incorporation of innovation and sustainability into our agricultural practices, making local producers key players in the shift toward more efficient and environmentally friendly production,” commented the Minister of Economic Development and Production of Jujuy, Juan Carlos Abud.

“The agreement will enable us to make headway with training, technical visits, and initiatives that strengthen the links in the value chain in primary production, thereby making our agriculture more competitive in national and international markets,” he added.

More information:
Institutional Communication Division.
comunicacion.institucional@iica.int