Representatives of the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC) and the Central American Federation of Agricultural and Agroindustrial Chambers (FECAGRO) participated in the Conference of Ministers of Agriculture of the Americas organized by IICA.
San Jose, 10 October 2023 (IICA)– Establishing partnerships with the institutional sector is key to revitalize production and marketing in the agriculture sector, as well as enhance sustainability, technological innovation and the responsible use of natural resources in the region’s agrifood systems, agreed private sector representatives at the Conference of Ministers of Agriculture of the Americas 2023.
Held in Costa Rica, at the Headquarters of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), the meeting was attended by Jaime Castañeda, Executive Vice-President of the U.S. Dairy Export Council (USDEC); Francisco González, President of the Central American Federation of Agricultural and Agroindustrial Chambers (FECAGRO); and Lloyd Day, Deputy Director General of IICA, among others.
The speakers agreed that joint work is key in order to design and strengthen public policies and regulatory frameworks that can drive investment and the circular economy.
The private sector representatives noted that, by jointly strengthening policies and regulatory frameworks, they can not only drive the growth of producers, but also protect them. Day, in turn, remarked that IICA’s work in this area is geared towards ensuring that farmers have access to and are able to participate in agricultural working groups, negotiations and discussions.
The Deputy Director General of the Institute added that public policies related to the agrifood sector must be based on science, and that agriculture must be part of the solution to current trade challenges.
Responsible agricultural production
Addressing the ministers of Agriculture, Francisco González reported on FECAGRO’s work for the benefit of more than 445,000 producers in Central America and the Dominican Republic.
He added that these producers currently account for 44% of the region’s total exports, and therefore have a sustainable impact on agricultural trade growth.
With respect to his work as a producer and in support of other farmers, González considered that generational succession in agrifood systems must not be underestimated, as it is key to guaranteeing global food security.
Speaking to the regional agricultural officials, González said, “Our federation firmly believes in establishing partnerships with the public and private sectors as well as with international organizations. We urge the governments you represent to include farmers in working committees and to view us as an ally with first-hand knowledge of what is going on in the sector”.
Jaime Castañeda, who works for the dairy sector in the United States and the region, highlighted the need to pay urgent attention to the actions spearheaded by the ministries of Agriculture, to ensure that they will have a positive impact on producers, who are threatened by protectionist measures towards very specific sectors.
“This joint work between governments, agricultural cooperation agencies and mechanisms, as well as the commercial sector is crucial. We cannot work in isolation; otherwise, we will open up loopholes that will affect both small and large-scale producers”, he added.
“The Americas possess human resources, but face the challenge of insufficient financial resources and investment in technological innovations. For this reason, my organization believes it is also important to foster sustainable and responsible production over time”, he concluded.
More information:
IICA Institutional Communication Division.
comunicacion.institucional@iica.int
