Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Agribusiness

Director General of IICA Present at Launch of Agrifood Chains Program in Panama

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

The initiative, which is intended to combat speculation and make the agricultural sector more sustainable, was developed by the Ministry of Agricultural Development with technical support from IICA.

Panama, January 19, 2011 (IICA). During the launch of the Agrifood Chains Program, held on January 12 in Panama, the Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Victor M. Villalobos, said “It is important that the producer, before planting, know what he/she can sell. That is why agrifood chains, in which all links of the chain are represented, are organized.”

Producers, distributors and supermarkets participate in the chains for the purpose of identifying consumer demands and establishing a direct relationship among themselves, in an effort to reduce the number of intermediaries, who usually end up keeping most of the profits and engaging in speculation.

Fernando Duque, Secretary of Cadena de Frío, Victor M. Villalobos, Director General of IICA, Emilio Kieswetter, Ministry of Agricultural Development, Carlos Afu, President of the Agricultural Affairs Committee, and Gabriel Rodriguez, IICA Representative in Panama, during the presentation of the program.

The program was developed by the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) with support from IICA. The first phase consists of creating agrifood chains in the rice, milk, corn, beef, bean, plantain, yam, cassava and vegetable sector.

The program covers all aspects of the process, from planting to marketing and consumption, and is intended to increase the production high quality products for the family food basket that will bring higher prices for producers in the long term.

“The producer must not only be a provider of food, but also know what the needs of the market are and adopt new technologies. If not, the crisis in the sector will continue,” said Villalobos. According to IICA Representative in Panama, Gabriel Rodriguez, the Institute will continue to provide technical assistance to the MIDA specialists, who will instruct the producers on the management of their crops.

During the launching, Minister of Agricultural Development Emilio Kieswetter thanked IICA for its assistance in the formulation of the Program and in the preparation of the Strategic Plan for the Agricultural Sector 2010-2014, which coincides in many aspects with IICA’s Medium-term Plan.

Following the presentation of the Program, the Director General met with the Agriculture Committee of the National Assembly, explaining briefly the general guidelines IICA will follow during his administration.

For more information, contact 
gabriel.rodríguez@iica.int

Share

Related news​

Delegados y autoridades agrícolas durante la Semana de la Agricultura del Caribe (CWA), en San Cristóbal y Nieves, participando en la firma de acuerdos y fortalecimiento de la cooperación regional para enfrentar la peste porcina africana y mejorar la sanidad agropecuaria.

Basseterre, San Cristóbal y Nievas

October 3, 2025

IICA Director General calls for deeper solidarity and joint action in the Caribbean in the face of African swine fever, which threatens the livelihoods of farmers and their families

Regional solidarity and coordinated action among countries are indispensable to address the threat of African swine fever, which, if it were to spread in the Caribbean, could have devastating consequences, stated IICA Director General Manuel Otero during Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA).

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Basseterre, San Cristóbal y Nieves

October 3, 2025

Argentina Deepens Agricultural Cooperation with the Caribbean at CWA 2025

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Basseterre, Saint Kitts and Nevis

October 3, 2025

IICA Director General presents awards to two young rural entrepreneurs from Saint Kitts and Nevis during Caribbean Week of Agriculture

The individuals honored are Akiesha Fergus and Ryan Khadou, two passionate farmers who have demonstrated by their example that agricultural production can be a great way of life for the new generations.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins