Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Food and nutrition security Innovation Knowledge management Productivity Rural development

IICA and COLEACP will promote entrepreneurship development in the Caribbean

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

The entities will collaborate under a technical cooperation agreement, aimed at developing a more sustainable agriculture sector and providing training for small farmers and MSMEs.

COLEACP

San Jose, 8th April 2021 (IICA) – Sustainable agriculture, good practices, bioeconomy, trade, food safety and quality, resilience and the link between agriculture and tourism will be some of the key areas of focus of collaborative efforts between the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Europe-Africa-Caribbean-Pacific Liaison Committee (COLEACP).

Under a recently signed technical cooperation agreement, the organizations will work to develop a more sustainable and resilient agriculture sector in the Caribbean region.

The agreement was signed by Manuel Otero, Director General of IICA, and Jeremy Knops, General Delegate of COLEACP, at a virtual signing ceremony, with both men concurring that the organizations’ networks, methodology and accumulated experience would serve as a powerful catalyst to transform agriculture in these regions.

IICA Director General, Manuel Otero, insisted that, “We must not concentrate solely on a response to the pandemic, but must also focus on building agricultural resilience and sustainability in our countries. IICA stands ready to play a more proactive role and to work tirelessly, ever mindful of our farmers”.

He pointed out that, “The hemisphere needs to build a new future, by interconnecting regions, actors and ideas, and by progressing and implementing concepts such as Caribbean regionalism, agrotourism, the bioeconomy, international trade, youth inclusion and technology transfer”.

Otero and Knops indicated that countries would need to build capacity in order to foster the development and sustainability of the agriculture sector, as well as to identify, share and increase agricultural best practices and innovations at every stage of the value chain.

“We believe in transformation through the capacity development of different actors in the food chain, which will enable them to be catalysts of their own development and to create jobs, in particularly for the very young and rural women. Much remains to be done, particularly for the Caribbean and its trade dynamic”, said the COLEACP General Delegate.

“We will work together to achieve tangible results and we are extremely eager to implement this agreement”, he added.

The IICA-COLEACP partnership will also enhance collaboration among other regional partners and will promote public-private alliances to increase the scope of its activities.

About IICA

IICA is the specialized agency for agriculture in the Inter-American system, with a mission to encourage, promote and support its 34 Member States in their efforts to achieve agricultural development and rural well-being through international technical cooperation of excellence.

About COLEACP

COLEACP is a network of companies, professional organisations and experts committed to inclusive and sustainable agriculture. The mission of COLEACP is to develop inclusive, sustainable trade in agricultural and food products (particularly fruits & vegetables), focusing on the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries’ trade with one another and with the European Union. COLEACP vision, “Growing people”, calls for members and partners to achieve sustainable development objectives through building human capacity and value sharing in agri-food production and marketing chains at national, regional and global levels.

More information:

Institutional Communication Division

comunicacion.institucional@iica.int

 

 

Share

Related news​

San José, Costa Rica

July 3, 2025

IICA promotes environmental education in the classroom with its handover of the first Urban Productive Garden in Costa Rica

Officers of IICA’s Community Outreach Association, APC, handed over tools and guides to the “República de Paraguay” school, for the purpose of establishing a productive garden.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Manuel Otero, Director General del IICA; José Emilio Guerrero, profesor de la UCO de España; Rosa Gallardo, Directora de la Cátedra de Inteligencia Artificial y Agricultura del mismo centro académico; Carlos Alzate, experto en IA y CEO de AI Fund; Gloria Abraham, Carlos Gustavo Cano Sanz, Eduardo Trigo, y Martín Piñeiro, miembros del Consejo Asesor para la Transformación de los Sistemas Agroalimentarios del Instituto; y Jorge Werthein, Asesor Especial del Director General del IICA.

San José, Costa Rica

July 3, 2025

Artificial intelligence represents a revolution with great potential for agriculture, experts say during IICA’s Advisory Council session on Agri-food Systems Transformation

During the discussion, participants emphasized the need for the integration of AI to be an inclusive process, with special attention given to small-scale and family farmers. It was also stressed that AI should not be seen as an end in itself, but rather as a means to transform agriculture with a focus on value chains.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

San José, Costa Rica

July 1, 2025

Carbon markets offer an extraordinary opportunity for sustainable livestock farming in Latin America, and collective action is essential to seize it, say public and private sector experts during seminar at IICA

During the seminar, which featured various presentation and discussion panels, participants explored the nature of carbon markets, financing alternatives for carbon capture projects in livestock farming, and the current regional context. They also shared methodologies and ideas to unlock their full potential through concrete steps.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins