Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Agriculture

Chile, Mexico and Peru agree to create the Agricultural Council of the Pacific Alliance, with support from IICA

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

The Ministers of Agriculture of Chile, Mexico and Peru will meet in March 2019 to sign a joint work agreement within the framework of the Pacific Alliance. The joint efforts will focus on sustainable development, rural well-being and agricultural trade.

Alfonso Vargas, Under Secretary of Agriculture of Chile (left); María de Lourdes Cruz, International Affairs Director of the Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development of Mexico (center); and William Arteaga, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Peru.

Santiago, Chile, 12 December 2018 (IICA). While meeting in Santiago, Chile, high-level officials responsible for agriculture in Chile, Mexico and Peru agreed to create the Agricultural Council of the Pacific Alliance (ACPA), a forum that will drive integration agreements and increase regional coordination to boost rural development and consolidate the countries’ standing as a leading trade bloc in the Asia-Pacific region.

The Government of Chile, with support from the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), served as the driving force behind the initiative, which will also foster knowledge sharing and capacity building through horizontal cooperation and coordinated work between the Ministries of Agriculture of the countries that form part of the Council.

The Minister of Agriculture of Chile, Antonio Walker, who participated in the meeting, assessed the progress achieved in creating the Council. He noted that his country values highly its participation in partnerships that boost the competitiveness of exporting sectors. “Integration is key for our sector’s development in Latin America,” he remarked.

During the meeting, Elena Valpuesta Aristegui, Chile’s national coordinator within the Pacific Alliance, delivered a presentation on the structure of the economic and development initiative in Latin America, which comprises Chile, Colombia, Mexico and Peru. She listed the challenges that other sectoral groups have faced, and highlighted the significance of the Council’s creation within this context.

Miguel Angel Árvelo, Chief of Staff of the General Directorate of IICA (center), in attendance at the meeting.

In attendance at the meeting, which was hosted by Alfonso Vargas, Under Secretary of Agriculture of Chile, were William Arteaga, Deputy Minister of Agriculture of Peru, as well as María de Lourdes Cruz, International Affairs Director of the Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development of Mexico. Jorge Hernán Gutiérrez, Director of the ProColombia office in Chile, also participated in the meeting on behalf of the Government of Colombia. The officials in attendance prepared a draft of the ACPA constitution and statutes, which will be ratified in March 2019 by the Ministers.

Miguel Ángel Arvelo, Chief of Staff of the General Directorate of IICA, announced that the specialized agency of the Inter-American System for agriculture was committed to supporting the new Council by way of providing a technical secretariat.

“IICA has 15 years of experience in the Southern Agricultural Council (CAS), which has become a critical linchpin for the Southern Cone, by bringing ministries together, addressing strategic issues, working to develop regional public goods, serving as a political and technical bridge, as well as fostering the involvement of countries and the private, academic and family farming sectors. IICA has overseen the technical-administrative management of CAS since its founding,” he stated.

The authorities in attendance agreed on the need to work together and learn from other countries’ experiences, hits and misses in matters related to associative undertakings, water resources, tariffs and technical capacity building. They also agreed to strengthen local and external markets in order to reach collective decisions in a world that demands more and better food, while competing with quality and innovation.

More information:

Institutional Communication Division

comunicacion.social@iica.int

 

Share

Related news​

San José, Costa Rica

June 5, 2025

At IICA, Costa Rican cacao producers are recognized for the excellence of their products and for their contribution to rural development and nutrition in the region

Experts analyzed 15 samples of cacao from various parts of the Central American country, with the five that received the highest scores then declared winners of the 2025 competition. The same five samples were sent to Rome, Italy, where they will represent Costa Rica in the international “Cacao of Excellence” competition, the stepping stone to the International Cocoa Awards.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Turrialba, Costa Rica

June 3, 2025

On a study visit to Costa Rica, ministers of Agriculture, rural youth and women of the Eastern Caribbean were introduced to improved agricultural practices

The mission began with two days of activities at IICA Headquarters in San Jose, including meeting with the IICA Director General, Manuel Otero. The visitors then travelled to CATIE.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

San José, Costa Rica

June 2, 2025

Ibero-America sees biofuels as a solution to decarbonize the energy sector  

The annual meeting of the Ibero-American Association of Energy Regulators (ARIAE), held in San Jose and Guanacaste, Costa Rica, featured the II Entrepreneurial Forum, attracting 200 participants, including the Costa Rican Minister of Environment and Energy, the Executive Secretary of the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) and authorities of the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB); the XV Regular Annual Meeting of the ARIAE General Assembly, which was attended by 17 regulatory agencies of ARIAE; and the XXVI Annual Meeting of ARIAE Energy Regulators.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins