Mexican authorities urge IICA to intensify its support for the agrifood sector in the Americas
Mexico City, 25 September 2018 (IICA). Mexican agrifood authorities commended the technical cooperation efforts of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and urged the hemispheric organization to intensify its support for the country and to bolster strategic partnerships, for the benefit of agriculture in the Americas.
Officials from IICA’s Costa Rica office - where the Institute’s Headquarters are located - met in Mexico with representatives from the Secretariat for Agriculture, Livestock, Rural Development, Fisheries and Food (SAGARPA), and from the team of Secretary of Agriculture designate, Víctor Villalobos, who lauded the work of this agency of the Inter-American System, specializing in agricultural and rural development.
IICA’s Mexican projects, which are being conducted under the framework of a general agreement with SAGARPA and public and private institutions, has gained the recognition of Mexican authorities, by providing technical expertise that has enhanced the country’s agricultural export activities and helped to strengthen its agrifood sector.
Federico Villarreal, IICA’s Technical Cooperation Manager; Braulio Heinze, Manager of Corporate Services; Ericka Soto, Advisor to the Chief of Staff; and IICA’s Representative in Mexico, Gloria Abraham, met in Mexico City with officials from SAGARPA, headed by the Undersecretary of Agriculture, Jorge Zertuche, and representatives from the Agencia de Servicios a la Comercialización y Desarrollo de Mercados Agropecuarios - ASERCA (Agency for Trade and Agricultural Market Development Services ), the National Agrarian Registry; the National Coordinator for Produce Foundations (COFUPRO) and the National Service for Agrifood Health, Safety and Quality (SENASICA).
The participants discussed technical and socio-economic criteria for the sector and shared their perspective on the major challenges and opportunities for agriculture in Mexico.
SAGARPA officials appealed for the continued support of IICA, through projects to strengthen South-South Cooperation and to solidify and bolster the agrifood sector, as a route to achieving food security.
The meeting with Secretary of Agriculture designate, Víctor Villalobos, spoke to some of the main contributions of IICA’s technical cooperation efforts: the development of public policies and institutional frameworks; technological, institutional and trade innovation; agricultural health and agrifood safety; the strengthening of the entrepreneurial and associative capabilities of chain stakeholders; capacity-building of actors in rural territories, and improved capacities for interaction, networking and collaboration in international cooperation.
Villalobos expressed his wish for increased cooperation with IICA, whose contributions and expertise continue to strengthen agriculture, which is one of the cornerstones of development in the Americas.
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Gloria Abraham, IICA Representative in Mexico.