Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Agriculture

Michael Kremer, 2019 Nobel Prize winner for Economics, will receive the title of IICA Goodwill Ambassador

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

Manuel Otero, Director General of IICA, will present Kremer with the award during a ceremony that will include the participation of the ministers of Agriculture of Brazil and Colombia, Tereza Cristina and Rodolfo Zea Navarro.

Kremer 2020

San Jose, 14 August 2020 (IICA). – Michael Kremer, Professor of Economics at Harvard University and recipient of the 2019 Nobel Prize in Economics, will be awarded the title of Goodwill Ambassador of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in sustainable development issues during a virtual ceremony that will include the participation of the ministers of Agriculture of Brazil and Colombia, among other authorities.

Kremer is one of the founders of Precision Agriculture for Development (PAD), an organization that provided family famers in Asia and Africa with access to technical assistance and rural extension services by means of digital agricultural tools, with a view to assisting the weakest link in the agriculture chain in improving yields and increasing income.

In June, IICA signed an agreement with PAD to implement this method in Latin America and the Caribbean, based on its successful implementation in countries like India, Ethiopia and Kenya. The goal will be to reduce rural poverty, foster social and productive inclusion, as well as drive sustainable economic and environmental development.

In attendance at the ceremony will be Tereza Cristina, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Supply of Brazil; Rodolfo Zea Navarro, Minister of Agriculture and Rural Development of Colombia; Asim Khwaja, Director of Harvard’s Center for International Development; Owen Barder, CEO of PAD; and Manuel Otero, Director General of IICA.

IICA’s Goodwill Ambassadors share concerns and commitments related to the achievement of sustainable and equitable development. They are also willing to join a cause aimed at increasing public awareness and strengthening development through projects related to food security, the bioeconomy, gender and youth, responsible production, and inclusion in rural areas, which are key topics in IICA’s agenda.

Links to the live broadcast

Spanish (Facebook):  https://www.facebook.com/IICAnoticias/posts/10164011793380035

English (IICAnoticias YouTube channel):  https://youtu.be/1FNaHK72bks

Portuguese (IICAnews YouTube channel): https://youtu.be/AijRDBYKryw

Time

11:00 Brasília – 11:00 Buenos Aires – 10:00 New York – 9:00 Bogotá – 8:00 San José, Costa Rica

More information:

Institutional Communication Division

comunicacion.institucional@iica.int

Kremer 2020 Eng

 

Share

Related news​

Castries, St. Lucia

June 26, 2026

ADOPT Caribbean Project, led by IICA, Advances Resilient Agriculture in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

The ADOPT Caribbean Project is a regional initiative being implemented in Guyana, Jamaica, and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. It supports farmers in improving soil health, reducing greenhouse gas emissions, and strengthening climate resilience.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Mexico City

June 24, 2026

Central America and Mexico strengthen regional coordination to control the New World screwworm and protect food safety

This was achieved at a regional meeting on the use of veterinary medicines in New World screwworm control and residue surveillance in milk and meat, organized by IICA, the Central American Dairy Federation (FECALAC) and the Executive Secretariat of the Central American Agricultural Council (SECAC).

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Campo Grande

June 23, 2026

Brazil positions itself as a global hub for debate and solutions on food, energy, and sustainability

The discussions were framed by a central idea: Brazilian agriculture is no longer simply a productive sector, but a strategic pillar of global economic, food, and energy stability.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins