IICA participated in a meeting of experts organized by Bayer in Germany to discuss opportunities for small-scale farmers
San Jose, 25 November 2019 (IICA). The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) was the only institution representing the Americas in a roundtable of international experts hosted by Bayer’s Crop Science Division in Germany. The participants discussed and identified productive opportunities that would allow for improving economic and social conditions for small-scale farmers in Asia, Africa and Latin America.
The event was held in the Monheim am Rhein district and included the participation of experts from Asian and African countries as well. The attendees and senior managers from Bayer engaged in dialogue regarding measures that would have a positive impact on small-scale producers, ways to increase multisectoral partnerships and boost their efficient application, as well as methods for scaling up actions to achieve sustainability.
“IICA and Bayer fully agree on the importance of public-private partnerships as a means for boosting the efficiency of efforts undertaken by companies, governments and international organizations to drive development and improve production and living conditions for small-scale agricultural producers, with special emphasis on women and youth,” stated Jorge Werthein, Special Advisor to Manuel Otero, Director General of IICA.
“Our joint work is based on the understanding that intersectoral work is key to empowering small-scale farmers,” added Werthein, who represented IICA at the event.
Although the meeting participants represented a wide range of geographical locations and professional backgrounds, they were able to reach consensus on a number of matters. For instance, the participants agreed that agriculture must be a good business at all levels; additionally, to be effective and truly inclusive, agriculture should ensure that innovation, digitalization and sustainability commitments are within the reach of all kinds of producers.
Another key issue discussed was the need to apply systems that facilitate the continuous improvement of agricultural sustainability practices, as well as to develop governance models that allow for generating synergies for improved cooperation among partners.
Bayer and IICA have established a solid partnership aimed at fostering sustainability practices, food safety, the empowerment of rural women, and adequate use of products. As part of their agreement, the institutions provide access to and exchange knowledge, science, technology, innovation and financial resources to strengthen sustainability and food security.
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