Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Agribusiness

IICA and its partners will launch a new virtual business round for agrifood businesses with a view to strengthening intra-regional trade

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

Registration for the event, to be held between May 24 and 28, is already open.

Exporttt

San José, 10 May 2021 (IICA). The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) will be launching, together with other organizations, the third virtual business round for companies in Latin America and the Caribbean specializing in agrifood products.

The goal of the initiative is to promote commercial ties between companies within the agrifood chain, in an attempt to help them consolidate or diversify their export markets, so as to accelerate their economic recovery in the face of COVID-19.

The virtual round will take place from 24-28 May. Spearheaded by IICA, the initiative is also organized by FAO, the Secretariat for Central-American Economic Integration (SIECA) and the Executive Secretariat of the Central-American Agricultural Council (SECAC).

 “IICA, through these virtual platforms, seeks to promote networking and business development among buyers and sellers”, explained the manager of the International Trade and Regional Integration Program of the Institute, Daniel Rodríguez. 

The need to organize virtual business rounds emerged last year, when restrictions were imposed on international fairs as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic.

In order to participate in the event, interested companies must register at SIECA’s Central-American Trade Network, (www.redca.sieca.int), fill out their business profile and then request their participation in the virtual business round free of charge. Registration is already open.

The products and services being promoted within the activities are the following:

  • Primary products and byproducts
  • Transformed foods
  • Production support services (agricultural innovation, machinery, equipment and inputs)
  • Trade-related services (distribution, transportation and logistics, packing, etc.).

Strengthening intra-regional trade

The activity seeks to increase intra-regional trade and diversify the export basket.

A study conducted by IICA on the agrifood sector during the first year of the pandemic showed that of the total exports of 17 countries in the Americas, about 13% of its agri-food exports correspond to intra-regional trade and the remaining 87% to other markets.

Moreover, 10 products including soy, meat, plantains and coffee make up 51% of total exports compared with the world average of 29%.

Last year, IICA and other organizations hosted two hemispheric business rounds, which featured the participation of nearly 950 companies from 22 countries, and which generated new business worth about USD 16 million.

 “With these large business rounds, where 500 or 600 companies participate at the same time, we also seek to promote intra-regional trade and diversify the range of products offered”, stated Mr. Rodríguez.

More information:

Institutional Communication Division

comunicacion.institucional@iica.int

Share

Related news​

Madrid, España

September 16, 2025

The IICA Director General, during a working visit to Spain, met with the Minister of Agriculture, Luis Planas; visited the Spanish Congress and was honored by Universidad de Córdoba

In his meeting with Planas, Otero reflected on the close collaboration with Spain and characterized the Institute’s technical cooperation as systemic, efficient and collaborative, providing benefits to more than ten million farmers and actively undertaking 358 projects to enhance food security and rural development.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

San José, Costa Rica

September 10, 2025

Erick Geovany Ac Tot, a cocoa entrepreneur who promotes high-quality cocoa and the preservation of ancestral trees in Guatemala, is named an IICA Leader of Rurality 

Erick Geovany Ac Tot—a prominent Guatemalan cocoa entrepreneur who has been assisting small farmer organizations, promoting high-quality cocoa production and preserving heirloom trees for years, in addition to being a cocoa taster—has been named a Leader of Rurality of the Americas by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA). 

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Durante el llamado Diálogo Regional sobre Innovaciones para la Adaptación Climática de pequeños productores del Corredor Seco Centroamericano, los participantes discutieron temas clave como ganadería resiliente, agroforestería, innovación productiva y medidas de adaptación frente a sequías, inundaciones y otros eventos climáticos.

San Salvador

September 9, 2025

In El Salvador, Leaders of Rurality of the Americas shared experiences and engaged in dialogue with youth and specialists on ways to strengthen productivity in the Central American Dry Corridor

The leaders who participated in the meeting were Macarena Valdés and Marco Aceituno from Chile; Elvia Monzón, Gustavo Rivas and Erick Ac from Guatemala; Katy Moncada and Eodora Méndez from Honduras; and Odette Varela and Salomón Zelada from El Salvador.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins