The Agricultural and Forestry Education Foundation of Washington State (AgForestry) paid a visit to IICA Headquarters.
San Jose, 7 April 2025 (IICA) – Meeting in San Jose, Costa Rica, authorities and students of the Agricultural and Forestry Education Foundation of Washington State (AgForestry) and staff of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) shared the view that joint work and agricultural development in the Americas can assist in ensuring the planet’s food security.
The AgForestry team visited IICA Headquarters where they participated in a meeting to share knowledge and experiences on agriculture, natural resources and food markets. They concluded that protection of the natural environment and water conservation are essential to cushion the effects of extreme weather phenomena in agriculture and to guarantee food security in the region and the world.
The meeting was attended by Kyle Brooksher, Curriculum Director, Leadership Program Director and spokesperson for AgForestry; Fernando Schwanke, Director of IICA’s Directorate of Projects; and María Febres, IICA Representative in Costa Rica.
AgForestry is an educational foundation based in Washington State. Its main program is designed to develop leadership capacities in adults working in the natural resources sector. It strives to equip participants with skills that are essential for growth and sustainability.
Brooksher noted that the visit to IICA provided a valuable opportunity to observe first- hand how the Institute is working in the region. “IICA’s efforts align perfectly with our vision, and we believe it is doing a tremendous job in the region”.
The visit included presentations and discussions on various IICA initiatives, providing the AgForestry team with an in-depth understanding of the Institute’s leadership systems and technical support.
“We have a keen interest in working with IICA and learning about its experience in natural resource management and agricultural development”, said Brooksher.
On the other hand, Schwanke conveyed IICA’s interest in forging technical cooperation ties with the education sector and underscored the importance of sharing knowledge and technology and innovation projects in the agricultural field.
María Febres highlighted the fact that IICA collaborates with its partners to ensure that the agrifood systems of the Americas are equipped to supply the necessary nutrition to all the countries of the world. This requires a joint effort between the private, public and academic sectors.
“Our collaboration with AgForestry is encouraging us to work more closely with the academic sector”, said Febres.
More information:
Institutional Communication Division.
comunicacion.institucional@iica.int
