Ministers of Agriculture of the Americas attending the IICA Executive Committee Meeting warn that the region will need to bolster its agrifood systems in view of the challenging international context
San Jose, 23 July 2024 (IICA) – A dozen ministers of Agriculture of the Americas and other senior authorities from the sector joined with the Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Manuel Otero, in calling for the strengthening of the region’s agrifood systems in a challenging environment that has placed food security at the top of the global agenda.
The agricultural authorities of the Americas and representatives of the academic and private sectors began a two-day working session at IICA Headquarters in San Jose, Costa Rica, on the occasion of the 44th Regular Meeting of the Executive Committee, one of the governing bodies of the hemispheric organization. The discussions will address the most transcendental issues affecting the future of agriculture.
The opening of the meeting emphasized the presence of overlapping global crises—including climate change, armed conflicts and obstacles to economic growth— that are further demonstrating the value of the region as a global food producer and supplier.
It also focused on the severe impact of extreme climate phenomena on agricultural productivity in the region, pointing out that science will be the only possible means of redirecting our path towards greater sustainability and resilience.
The ministers expressed wholehearted support for IICA and its Director General, Manuel Otero, in their efforts to transform the agrifood systems of the Americas, based on science, making room for farmers at the discussion table and ensuring that agriculture is recognized as part of the solution to global challenges.
The IICA Executive Committee consists of twelve member states, elected for two-year periods, based on the principles of partial rotation and equitable geographic distribution. However, other countries asked to participate in the session, given the topic of this year’s agenda.
During the opening, Angel Manero Campos, Minister of Agricultural Development and Irrigation of Peru, was appointed as the new Chair of the Executive Committee, succeeding Indar Weir, the Minister of Agriculture and Food Security of Barbados.
The following ministers of Agriculture are also participating in the sessions: José Abelardo Mai of Belize; Fernando Mattos of Uruguay, who is also the current Chair of the Inter-American Board of Agriculture (IABA – IICA’s highest governing body); Martha Carvajalino of Colombia; Lennox Andrews of Grenada; Laura Suazo of Honduras and Saboto Caesar of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines.
Also present are representatives of international organizations and some Leaders of Rurality who have been recognized by IICA for their contribution to food security and the welfare of their communities.
The value of technical cooperation
The Director General of IICA cautioned that the current international context reinforces the need for and the value of cooperation and joint efforts among stakeholders and institutions that possess immense capacities and knowledge that must be placed at the service of societies.
“IICA’s institutional work is tied to and determined by this context, these circumstances, and also by our decision to mobilize knowledge and apply our anticipatory capacity, in order to detect trends and alert countries to opportunities and challenges”, he remarked.
Manuel Otero also referred to IICA’s busy institutional calendar, which responds to the mandate issued by the ministers of Agriculture of the Americas who, in October of last year, instructed the Institute to strengthen a hemispheric partnership for food security and sustainable development in the Americas.
“This hemispheric partnership, which is already underway, proposes a new vision for technical cooperation that brings together countries, stakeholders, topics and new funding modalities, with a view to accelerating the process of strengthening and transforming our region’s agriculture under a systemic vision”, he explained.
“IICA is therefore advancing towards true transformation, positioning itself as an institution of excellence at the service of the member countries and of producers in rural areas”, he concluded.
Ministers voice their support
Sergio Iraeta, the new Secretary of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of Argentina, stated that his country would continue to support IICA’s work. “We reaffirm the value of technical cooperation in addressing issues that require a regional approach. We support IICA’s efforts to expand agricultural production and position our production models in international discussions”, he stated.
Michael James, Chief Agricultural Officer, Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Security of Barbados, also supported IICA and considered that “the climate crisis with which we are grappling has severely affected the region. We have limited resources and the Caribbean faces grave consequences. We must come together so that IICA and its Director can receive our support”, he said.
Aileen Manix, of the Foreign Agricultural Service of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), thanked the Director General for his readiness to address issues. “The challenges of resilience and sustainability are greater than ever before. We are committed to addressing them in partnership with IICA, with which we have a rich history of collaboration. IICA is a key resource for the region”.
Laura Suazo, Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock of Honduras, congratulated IICA on its work aimed at strengthening knowledge management and promoting forums for disseminating technologies. “We must promote initiatives that reduce gaps in the access to technology, not only for small-scale farmers, but also for medium and large-scale producers”, he noted.
The Minister of Grenada, Lennox Andrews, stated that IICA’s work “gives us hope that we will be able to transform agriculture and the lives of farmers and consumers. In the Caribbean, we are vulnerable to climate change, which is advancing every year. The time has come to prioritize the Caribbean so that we can develop our agricultural industry, which will transform our lives”.
“Hurricanes damage our agrifood systems, but we must also talk about mass migration from the region, which leads to economic losses”, warned Belizean Minister José Abelardo Mai, who added that climate events are affecting productivity and the quality of life in the Caribbean more and more.
More information:
Institutional Communication Division.
comunicacion.institucional@iica.int