Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

Agriculture

Countries of the Americas express broad support for IICA’s strategy in light of the pandemic

Tiempo de lectura: 3 mins.

The Special Advisory Commission on Management Issues (SACMI), which advises IICA’s General Directorate and is made up of nine countries, expressed strong support for the Institute’s strategy to overcome the challenges of the pandemic.

Durante la reunión el Director General del IICA, Manuel Otero, hizo hincapié en el papel del Instituto como facilitador y puente estratégico de soluciones innovadoras que escucha, propone y actúa. En la mesa principal estuvo acompañado del Subdirector General, Lloyd Day.

San Jose, 7 May 2020 (IICA).  The Special Advisory Commission on Management Issues (SACMI), a special mechanism that advises the General Directorate of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and is comprised of nine member countries, expressed broad, unanimous support for the hemispheric agency’s strategy to overcome the challenges of the pandemic. Among other things, the Institute is strengthening actions to support its member countries as well as implementing austerity and flexibility measures across all of its operations.

The Commission recognized the improvements that IICA has proactively implemented in a short amount of time, highlighting the quantity and quality of technical cooperation actions carried out. These efforts include meetings with the ministers and secretaries of Agriculture of the Mesoamerican, Andean, Southern, Caribbean and Northern regions of the hemisphere, as well as dialogues carried out with the private sector and stakeholders involved in the primary production chains across the hemisphere, within a context that poses challenges for the Institute’s resources.

“IICA received broad, unanimous support for its technical and managerial work during the current global health crisis. This makes it all the more necessary for us to intensify our efforts to ensure that countries in the Americas are able to guarantee food security for their populations,” stated Manuel Otero, Director General of IICA, regarding the meeting.

“I am very pleased because we also agreed to spur IICA’s growth given the increased technical cooperation needs of countries in the Americas within the current context, in which we are demonstrating our capacity to respond,” he added.

Delegations from the ministries and secretariats of Agriculture of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Canada, Mexico, Nicaragua, Saint Lucia and the United States participated in the annual SACMI meeting, which, on this occasion, was held via videoconference. Of the nine member countries sitting on the Commission, six are permanent members and three are members selected on a rotating basis.

The representatives agreed to exhaust all available means for strengthening IICA to overcome the financial challenges posed by the current pandemic.

During the meeting, the Director General of IICA called on the participants to revive the spirit with which IICA was founded as a specialized agency for agriculture and rural life in the Americas in 1942, in the midst of the profound crisis caused by World War II.

“As we grapple with this new coronavirus pandemic, I urge us all to adopt a strong work ethic, and to exhaust all possible means for bolstering our technical cooperation, for the benefit of all populations throughout the Americas,” stated Otero, as he underscored IICA’s role as a facilitator and strategic “bridge” that listens, proposes innovative solutions, and takes action.

The Director General of IICA also reflected on the need to reposition agriculture as a sector that will play a key role in the recovery of the global economy as well as in guaranteeing food security both during and after the Covid-19 emergency.

Reunión consultiva

Over the past 60 days, IICA has hosted six regional meetings of ministers and secretaries of Agriculture of the hemisphere as well as numerous bilateral dialogues to improve assistance provided to the member countries. It also created advisory committees on food security and communication, a food security monitor and blog, a food vulnerability index, and technological tools to strengthen agricultural health, intraregional trade and online training in agricultural topics.

Together with renowned artists from the Americas, IICA also launched a campaign to pay tribute to agrifood chain workers, as well as channel greater political and social attention to agriculture, an activity that is crucial for human life. 

More information:
Institutional Communication Division. 
comunicacion.institucional@iica.int

 

Share

Related news​

San José, Costa Rica

June 5, 2025

At IICA, Costa Rican cacao producers are recognized for the excellence of their products and for their contribution to rural development and nutrition in the region

Experts analyzed 15 samples of cacao from various parts of the Central American country, with the five that received the highest scores then declared winners of the 2025 competition. The same five samples were sent to Rome, Italy, where they will represent Costa Rica in the international “Cacao of Excellence” competition, the stepping stone to the International Cocoa Awards.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

Turrialba, Costa Rica

June 3, 2025

On a study visit to Costa Rica, ministers of Agriculture, rural youth and women of the Eastern Caribbean were introduced to improved agricultural practices

The mission began with two days of activities at IICA Headquarters in San Jose, including meeting with the IICA Director General, Manuel Otero. The visitors then travelled to CATIE.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins

San José, Costa Rica

June 2, 2025

Ibero-America sees biofuels as a solution to decarbonize the energy sector  

The annual meeting of the Ibero-American Association of Energy Regulators (ARIAE), held in San Jose and Guanacaste, Costa Rica, featured the II Entrepreneurial Forum, attracting 200 participants, including the Costa Rican Minister of Environment and Energy, the Executive Secretary of the Latin American Energy Organization (OLADE) and authorities of the Ibero-American General Secretariat (SEGIB); the XV Regular Annual Meeting of the ARIAE General Assembly, which was attended by 17 regulatory agencies of ARIAE; and the XXVI Annual Meeting of ARIAE Energy Regulators.

Tiempo de lectura: 3mins