Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Agriculture

IICA launches crowdfunding campaign to strengthen food security in Haiti and Antigua and Barbuda in the face of Covid-19

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

Donations of any amount will be received on the GoFundMe platform and will go to 4 rural communities in these countries to purchase seeds and basic agricultural inputs.

La campaña pretende obtener recursos que permitan proveer insumos agrícolas básicos, como semillas, equipos de riego y otros suministros para miles de habitantes de las comunidades de Codrington y Burkes Sanderson en Antigua y Barbuda; y Ducis, Les Anglais, Camp Perrin, Bas Boen y Beaumont en Haití

San José, 23 September 2020 (IICA). The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) launched a collective crowdfunding or micro-financing campaign entitled #IAmJoiningIICAChallenge to promote projects aimed at strengthening food security in rural communities of Haiti and Antigua and Barbuda, which are suffering from extreme vulnerability in the face of the pandemic caused by the novel coronavirus.

The campaign, which targets people from all regions of the Americas, seeks to obtain resources that will enable the provision of basic agricultural inputs such as seeds, irrigation equipment and other supplies for thousands of people living in the communities of Codrington and Burkes Sanderson, in Antigua and Barbuda; and Bas Boen and Montrouis, in Haiti.

“I am particularly interested in obtaining financing for irrigation, because we live in an arid country and water rationing is very important, and even more so with the drought. This project would be very beneficial for us in Antigua and Barbuda”, explained Neil Gomes, a small farmer from one of the areas that would receive support from IICA.

In general, Caribbean countries are heavily dependent on imports for food supply, which they pay for with the revenue generated from the tourism industry.

Tourism has come to a halt as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic, which has affected the food security of the region as well as the availability of agricultural labor to carry out farming activities.

This situation is further exacerbated by the high vulnerability of Haiti, Antigua and Barbuda, and practically every country in the Caribbean to the effects of climate change, including extreme weather events and drought.

”Through the #IAmJoiningIICAChallenge campaign, we want to support the Caribbean countries in one of their most urgent and critical needs, that is, food security in rural areas. This is the first crowdfunding project for IICA, which is why we have identified regions with very specific needs for cooperation, with the goal of executing concrete actions with the resources obtained, in an attempt to benefit these specific populations”, stated Manuel Otero, Director General of IICA.

Donations for the #IAmJoiningIICAChallenge campaign can be of any amount. The fundraising will be done through the GoFundMe platform at https://gf.me/u/yn5cg6, and can also be accessed through the IICA website, https://iica.int/en/crowdfunding.

In the United States, contributions can be made at https://www.oasfcu.org/.

On the Institute’s website, participants can find all the information pertaining to the fundraising project in Spanish, English, French and Portuguese.

The #IAmJoiningIICAChallenge campaign will be receiving donations for a period of three months, and will provide periodic updates on the progress of the fundraiser.

 

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

Share

Related news​

San Jose, Costa Rica

March 3, 2025

Tatiana Vargas Navarro, Costa Rican farmer, who took charge of her parents’ coffee farm and now exports to Japan, is named an IICA Leader of Rurality of the Americas

Tatiana receberá o prêmio “Alma da Ruralidade”, que é parte de uma iniciativa do organismo especializado em desenvolvimento agropecuário e rural para dar visibilidade a homens e mulheres que deixam pegadas e fazem a diferença no campo do continente americano, essencial para a segurança alimentar e nutricional e a sustentabilidade ambiental do planeta.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

San José

February 28, 2025

Rosina Rodríguez, an apple grower, whose farm “belongs to Uruguay and the upcoming generations” is named an IICA Leader of Rurality of the Americas

Thanks to this IICA accolade, Rosina will receive the “Soul of Rurality” award, as part of an initiative by the specialized organization for agricultural development and rural well-being in the Americas to shine the spotlight on men and women who are leaving their mark and making a difference in the rural areas of the hemisphere, given their essential role as providers of  food and nutritional security, who are also ensuring production and environmental sustainability.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Madrid, España

February 27, 2025

During meeting of the NGIN International Coalition, IICA reaffirms its commitment to ensuring rural youth play a leading role in agricultural transformation

The NGIN Coalition is a key ally of IICA in its efforts to enhance youth participation in agricultural modernization. Over the past three years, their joint work has been geared towards generating opportunities for young leaders of the Americas, facilitating their access to decision-making forums.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins