Víctor M. Villalobos, a citizen of Mexico, will remain at the helm of IICA for a second term, from 2014-2018.
Buenos Aires, September 25, 2013 (IICA).The Inter-American Board of Agriculture (IABA) today reelected by acclamation Víctor M. Villalobos as Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).
Villalobos is a citizen of Mexico who holds a Ph.D. from the University of Alberta, Canada, to serve as Director General for a second, consecutive term, which will run from 2014 to 2018.
The election was held within the framework of the Meeting of Ministers of Agriculture of the Americas 2013, which took place from September 24-27 in Campana, in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina.
Visibly moved, Villalobos said the IABA had “acknowledged the work of a team drawn from all parts of the hemisphere and characterized by technical excellence and commitment.” He then thanked the Member States for their vote of support, in particular the Government of Mexico, which nominated him for reelection. Mexico announced its endorsement of his candidacy at the meeting of IICA’s Executive Committee held in Mexico City in June this year.
The IICA Director General stated that during his first term of office, from 2010 to 2014, the Institute had placed the concept of innovation at the center of its activities, as the means to build a new agricultural paradigm.
“In these four years, we have worked with governments and strategic partners to move towards an agricultural sector that is more competitive, innovative and sustainable, as the cornerstone of food security and prosperity in rural territories,” he remarked.
Villalobos pointed out that during the last three years IICA had strengthened its technical activities, citing as its main contributions to its 34 member countries support for the modernization of agricultural innovation and plant and animal health services, as well as efforts to help stimulate agricultural and export markets to create opportunities for small and medium-scale producers, young people and women in rural areas.
“All this has gone hand in hand with institutional reengineering, to make it possible, among other things, to take better advantage of and promote more transparent management of available resources, and foster a culture of accountability to our Member States,” he observed.
Villalobos is a renowned professional who specializes in areas of agriculture and natural and genetic resources. He has an impressive résumé as a professor, researcher and governmental and international official.
Before taking office as Director General of IICA for the first time in 2010, he held senior positions at the Secretariat of Agriculture of the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA) of Mexico.
For more information, contact:
evangelina.beltran@iica.int
