The Canadian organization Développement International Desjardins and IICA join forces to strengthen financing and agricultural insurance systems in Latin America and the Caribbean
San José, 23 March 2021 (IICA) - The Canadian organization Développement International Desjardins (DID) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) have signed an agreement to identify and carry out agricultural and rural development initiatives in countries of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Through this partnership, DID and IICA intend to effectively contribute to strengthening agrifood ecosystems in the region, particularly in terms of financing systems and agricultural insurance.
“Funding schemes are critical and much needed in Latin America and the Caribbean. Historically, donations have lacked the ability to promote viable businesses that can create wealth and develop entrepreneurial skills. Hopefully, this would allow producers to focus on more than subsistence farming in order to become small agricultural entrepreneurs and form part of the global and local trade value chains” explained Lloyd Day, Deputy Director General of IICA.
The cooperation areas established in the agreement include the following:
• Productivity and competitiveness of the agricultural sector.
• Territorial development and rural well-being.
• Agriculture, climate change and management of natural resources.
• Gender equity and youth.
• Innovation and adoption of technologies.
• Food security.
• Financing for agricultural development.
• Sustainable and inclusive economic growth.
DID and IICA have entered into similar agreements in the past. The most recent example is the successful implementation of the Financing and Agricultural Insurance System project (SYFAAH) in Haiti, which upon its completion in 2019 produced highly positive results.
“Our prior collaborations with IICA have only confirmed our common interests, and have allowed us to have an even broader reach and impact. Our respective roadmaps and teams constitute our greatest asset and provide us with the potential to make a lasting, positive difference with our interventions, in benefit of the rural sector and ensuring food security” said Gerardo Almaguer, President and Director General of DID.
About DID
Over the past 50 years, DID has worked to increase the economic empowerment of the most disadvantaged populations in the world through financial education and inclusion, with a special focus on the agricultural and rural sector. In its capacity as technical adviser and high-impact investor, DID puts financing at the service of inclusive and sustainable growth, and at the service of women, youth, farmers and entrepreneurs. DID forms part of the Desjardins Group, the leading financial services cooperative in North America.
More information:
Institutional Communication Division
comunicacion.institucional@iica.int