They will work together to ensure that the agricultural sector has the water resources needed to produce the food, fiber and energy demanded by the world population.
Buenos Aires, Argentina, September 27, 2013 (IICA). The Meeting of Ministers of Agriculture of the Americas 2013, being held in Argentina, concluded today with the approval of an agenda calling for specific actions aimed at making more efficient use of water in agriculture throughout the hemisphere, which will be implemented with support from countries with more experience in the field and technical cooperation from the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).
The four fundamental objectives of the agenda are: to strengthen the capacities of the ministries of agriculture; to ensure the integrated management of water; to make more efficient use of water in agriculture; and to improve the education/training of human resources.
The meeting, which brought together ministers of agriculture and heads of delegation, was held in Campana, in the province of Buenos Aires, from September 24-26.
As input for the deliberations of the ministers, IICA and the government of Argentina, which organized the event, prepared the document Water, food for the land, and held a technical forum to which renowned international experts were invited as guest speakers.
A program and a mandate
The Director General of IICA, Victor M. Villalobos, who was re-elected by acclamation for another four years (2014-2018), said “IICA offers its vast knowledge of all things agricultural and its commitment to make the program a reality.”
The Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Farming of Costa Rica, Gloria Abrahams, recommended that the integrated management of water be a priority in the cooperation IICA provides over the next four years.
In the face of increased competition for water resources, the ministerial delegations recognized the need to strengthen the capacity of the ministries of agriculture to define policies, together with other sectors, aimed at ensuring the integrated management of water.
The Minister of Agriculture of Guyana, Leslie Ramsammy, stressed the importance of having reliable and up-to-date information for decision making and the formulation of public policies, which is precisely one of the key elements of the agenda approved at the meeting.
Given the challenge of ensuring the food supply, with less water and less arable land, the ministers underscored the urgency of modernizing production systems and improving the use of water through innovation.
In this regard, the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock Farming and Supply of Brazil, Antonio Andrade, called attention to the importance of transferring knowledge and technology useful in increasing agricultural productivity, and offered to share with the countries the wealth of experience of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation(EMBRAPA).
In addition, Michael Scuse, Under Secretary of Agriculture of the United States, offered the cooperation of his country to facilitate the exchange of experiences in the management of water in agriculture, and to share lessons learned in the field.
The agenda program will also promote strategies for adapting agriculture to climate change, based on scientific principles and respect for the laws and the culture of nations.
During the ministerial discussions, it became clear that there is a need to prepare new generations of professionals in the agricultural sector, to provide technical assistance and training for small- and medium-scale farmers and to promote innovation in agriculture.
The Under Secretary of Food and Competitiveness of Mexico, Ricardo Aguilar, proposed the continuation of joint efforts with IICA aimed at providing training for and sharing experiences with farmers in Central America and the Caribbean.
Aguilar, on behalf of the government of his country, offered Mexico as the site of the next Meeting of Ministers of Agriculture of the Americas, to be held in 2015.
Also presented at the meeting was the latest report on the state of and outlook for agriculture in the Americas, prepared by IICA, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC).
Today, the official delegations will visit agricultural enterprises in Uranga, in the province of Santa Fe.
For further information:
patricia.leon@iica.int
