Berlin, 20 January 2025 (IICA) – The rural leaders of the Americas who protect their territories and guarantee food security for the continent and for the world made their way to Berlin through a photo exhibition organized by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).
Within the framework of the Global Forum for Food and Agriculture (GFFA), one of the world’s most important discussion forums on the present and future of agrifood systems, the exhibition was inaugurated by Manuel Otero, Director General of IICA, alongside Cem Özdemir, Minister of Food and Agriculture of Germany; Fernando Mattos, Minister of Livestock and Agriculture of Uruguay; and Joseph Vernet, Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Rural Development of Haiti.
The forum in Berlin is organized by the German government and includes the Conference of Ministers of Agriculture, the largest of its kind in the world, with the regular participation of 70 ministers from around the world.
The photographs on display in the German capital showcase the day-to-day work of men and women from the rural territories of the Americas, who work to produce the food consumed in the cities, while also contributing to the well-being of their communities and the conservation of the environment and biodiversity.
The subjects are the Leaders of Rurality of the Americas, who over the last two years have been recognized by IICA in an effort to bring visibility to their daily tasks and to create a sense of belonging to the continent’s rural areas.
The exhibition is titled “Leaders of Rurality of the Americas: Custodians of Food Security and Biodiversity” and was designed by IICA with the support Bayer and CAF-Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean. It comprises 24 photographs taken by Cecilia Duarte and curated by Virginia Fabri.
“The photographs reflect the work of IICA in rural areas and the importance of those who grow our food. It’s a very interesting idea to highlight the importance of the rural areas of the Americas to the rest of the world”, said Haitian minister, Joseph Vernet.
Özdemir emphasized the exhibition’s artistic value and stressed the importance of recovering the work of peasants, indigenous communities, and young farmers in rural areas. “Without their work there is no food. They make a great sacrifice in a very difficult context in the territories due to climate change, loss of biodiversity, and also human rights violations. It’s necessary to shed light on the reality of these people”, he said.
“We join in this beautiful initiative of IICA that spotlights the role of farmers, which is also a fitting tribute to the rural women who occupy the territory, generate identity, and defend biodiversity”, stated Minister Mattos, who presides over the Inter-American Board of Agriculture (IABA), IICA’s highest governing body.
The images tell the stories of peasants, family farmers, medium-sized producers, members of indigenous communities, teachers, and students from 13 countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, including Argentina, the Bahamas, Bolivia, Brazil, Colombia, Costa Rica, Chile, Ecuador, Guatemala, Mexico, Peru, Dominican Republic, and Trinidad and Tobago.
Recognition of farmers
This year, the GFFA is focused on the bioeconomy as a driver of sustainable development. This is the second consecutive year in which IICA is participating in the forum alongside governments, international organizations, private-sector companies, and civil society organizations from around the world.
“I am pleased to inaugurate the exhibition of Leaders of Rurality of the Americas at one of what I believe to be the most important global events on food and agriculture”, stated Manuel Otero.
“As director general of an organization committed to rural development, we must be here because we are a bridging institution, connecting rural and urban centers. Our relationship with the ministers is very important, but our priority must always be the people and communities that give life to rural areas. This exhibition is in recognition of the 17 million small-scale farmers in the Americas who produce 60% of the food consumed in the cities every day”, he concluded.
Photographer Cecilia Duarte expressed pride in the exhibition of her work at the forum in Berlin and gave details on the context in which she photographed the Leaders of Rurality of the Americas. “IICA called upon me in 2024 to take photographs of farmers and it seemed like an excellent opportunity to tell inspiring stories. The work of these people is worthy of admiration”.
