Support for the food production sector and agroindustry declared a national priority by Honduras
San José, 15 April 2020 (IICA). - By means of an executive decree signed by the President of Honduras, Juan Orlando Hernández, and the country’s Council of Ministers, support for the food production and agroindustry sectors has been declared a national priority.
This historic declaration seeks to address the challenges brought on by the Covid-19 crisis. Specifically, Decree No. 030-2020 establishes important measures aimed at guaranteeing the Central American country’s sovereignty and food security.
The executive branch decree will guide the efforts of the agroindustrial food sector, the financial sector, the transportation sector and all other relevant sectors to ensure that Honduras has an adequate food supply to overcome the emergency situation in the country.
The decree also prioritizes the continuous operation of the production and food distribution chains, which must remain sustainable over time to mitigate the effects of the crisis.
Furthermore, the government decree prioritizes and channels funds towards more than 15 programs of a national scope led by the Secretariat of Agriculture and Livestock. These programs are geared towards strengthening the country’s agricultural production and agrifood sector in order to achieve two objectives: guaranteeing food security and improving living conditions for agricultural producers across the entire country.
“We must ensure that Honduras will be self-sufficient in producing food for Honduran families. Therefore, we have launched a food security plan to ensure that all families in Honduras will have food on their tables once this crisis has ended,” stated President Juan Orlando Hernández as he announced the initiative.
“Ever since we took office in this Secretariat, our goal has been to transform and strengthen the agriculture sector in every sense of the word, including funding, value chains and commercialization. In a country like Honduras, which has very limited resources, this has always been a challenge.
The Covid-19 crisis has opened new doors for us, and affords an opportunity we had long been waiting for: to dignify agricultural producers and the agrifood industry,” remarked Mauricio Guevara, Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock of Honduras.
“For the first time, we have the necessary resources to boost agricultural productivity in all corners of Honduras. We will make use of the best knowledge, the best technology and the best practices available. This is a valuable opportunity for our heroes in the countryside, who put food on the tables of all Honduran families,” added the Secretary.
Franklin Marín, Representative of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), expressed full support for the initiative launched by President Hernández’s government, on behalf of the specialized hemispheric agency for agricultural and rural development.
“This timely, innovative decision poses an enormous challenge for Honduras and its institutions. IICA will support this effort and Honduran leaders in reactivating the country’s economy and guaranteeing food for the entire population,” stated Marín.
More information:
Franklin Marín, IICA Representative in Honduras