San José, 15 May 2025 (IICA). The BBVA Microfinance Foundation (BBVAMF) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) have renewed for four more years (renewable) the technical cooperation agreement under which they have been implementing initiatives to promote the sustainable development of rural dwellers in the Americas.
The cooperation activities carried out under the agreement will take various forms, such as training, courses, and seminars; technical cooperation for financial inclusion and innovation in the agricultural and rural sectors; human capacity building; the holding of international events and conferences; the dissemination of messages; and other actions that contribute to agricultural development and the well-being of rural dwellers, with a special emphasis on women and youth.
“For the Foundation, promoting the development of vulnerable entrepreneurs in rural areas where poverty and financial and digital exclusion are highest is a priority, so renewing this partnership is very important, because we are confident that with IICA we will continue to reach more people who need this support,” said BBVAMF CEO Javier M. Flores.
Over the course of five years, under the first cooperation agreement signed in 2019, the two institutions held a number of training courses for farmers. These included an “Introductory Course on Basic Finance for Rural Women,” which, in addition to being available on IICA’s training platform, and thanks to the renewal of the cooperation agreement, will now be made available on the free, open educational platforms of BBVAMF entities in five countries.
A training program was also implemented to improve the skills and knowledge of producers in the southern and southwestern regions of the Dominican Republic regarding the standards and regulations required by local and international markets, with a view to improving their competitiveness and increasing sales. This program was implemented through Banco Adopem, the BBVAMF entity in that country, in partnership with the ACP-EU Technical Center for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA).
In addition, six events were held to promote rural women’s contribution to development, accompanied by communication campaigns to disseminate the messages of the two institutions.
IICA Director General Manuel Otero said of this partnership: “There is complete agreement with the BBVA Microfinance Foundation on issues of vital importance to IICA, such as contributing to agricultural development and the well-being of communities, with an emphasis on women and youth. I greatly appreciate the trust and commitment that underpin this partnership, which makes it possible to consolidate concrete actions that impact people’s quality of life.”
Renewal of the cooperation agreement marks the consolidation of a relationship that will enable us to continue demonstrating our commitment to strengthening sustainable development in the Americas, ensuring the well-being of rural communities, and supporting women and youth.
More information:
Institutional Communication Division.
comunicacion.institucional@iica.int
