At COP28, U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack spotlighted work of IICA “to accelerate collaboration among the countries of the Americas to adapt agriculture to climate change”

Principal — Tom Vilsack (center), Secretary of Agriculture of the United States, met with ministers from the rest of the continent, including Fernando Mattos, Minister of Livestock, Agriculture and Fisheries of Uruguay, who is also the Chair of the Inter-American Board of Agriculture (IABA, the highest governing body of IICA).

Dubai, 11 December 2023 (IICA) – At COP28, Tom Vilsack, United States Secretary of Agriculture, addressed an audience of about 100, including agricultural authorities of the Americas, top-level researchers and representatives of the private sector and international organizations specializing in agriculture, highlighting the work of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) to strengthen and accelerate regional integration to allow the sector to confront the causes and consequences of climate change.

At the Home of Sustainable Agriculture of the Americas, the pavilion set up by IICA and strategic partners from the private sector at COP28, the largest global conference on climate change, the Secretary of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) affirmed that the alliances forged by the Institute are “critical and key” to facing as a region some of the biggest challenges affecting agriculture, which range from African Swine Fever in the Caribbean to the dissemination of scientific standards for soil regeneration in the hemisphere.

During a panel organized by the Business Council for International Understanding (BCIU) of the United States, Bayer and IICA, Vilsack capitalized on the presence of the other ministers of Agriculture of the Americas to underscore the importance of the region for the planet’s food and nutrition security.

“I believe that if we combine all the agriculture present here, we would have a very significant part of the world’s agricultural production”, stated the Secretary from the United States.

Vilsack is one of the ministers and secretaries of Agriculture of the Americas who speak for the region’s sector at COP28, the Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC).

Victor Villalobos, Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development of Mexico (see SIDE NOTE), also participated in the panel alongside the U.S. Secretary of Agriculture. The panel was attended by the ministers of Agriculture of Uruguay, Fernando Mattos; Honduras, Laura Suazo; and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saboto Caesar.

“Our hemisphere must lead the way, not only regionally but globally, in innovation and sustainable approaches to address the challenges that climate change poses on agriculture. We’ll do this by building capacity and ensuring that agriculture is part of international climate discussions and negotiations”, commented Vilsack.

Manuel Otero, Director General of IICA, thanked Vilsack for the recognition and expressed that it is IICA’s priority to support the actions of the countries of the Americas to drive climate change adaptation and mitigation in agriculture.

“With producers at the center of all policies based on scientific evidence, we insist that agriculture is a fundamental part of the solution to climate change”, said Otero.

Initiatives aimed at greater sustainability

Vilsack asserted that IICA’s initiatives with international partners, such as Living Soils of the Americas and Water and Agriculture, “are improving soil health and the integrated, efficient use of water in the Western Hemisphere, contributing to a more inclusive, resilient and sustainable development despite the impacts of climate change”.

Moreover, he highlighted three important collaborative actions in the Americas, supported by the United States Government, that work to combat climate change and support sustainable development in the region.

“I am delighted that IICA is an active member of these actions, as well as many other countries in Latin America and the Caribbean”, he affirmed.

These actions are the following:

AIM for Climate: launched by the United States and the United Arab Emirates two years ago at COP26; last year, IICA attended the meeting in Washington D.C.
Sustainable Productivity Growth Coalition: the goal is to increase producer access to resources around the world in order to execute actions aimed at increasing productivity and sustainability.
Global Methane Challenge: a collaborative effort to reduce methane emissions by 20% by 2030.

Regarding the third initiative, Vilsack believes it is “absolutely critical and essential for the health of our livestock industry, with over two dozen IICA Member States already participating”.

In reference to the Conference of the Parties to be held in two years in Belém in the Brazilian state of Pará (COP30), the Secretary of Agriculture for the Biden Administration stated the need to maintain regional cohesion.

“[COP30] feels like it is far away but it will be here fast. Now is the time for the countries of the Americas to act together to reinforce their commitment to achieving a sustainable agriculture sector that is climate smart and guarantees future food security”, concluded Vilsack.

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