Lima, 21 August 2025 (IICA) – The Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Manuel Otero, reported on the achievements of his administration to ministers of Agriculture and senior officials of twenty-three countries in the hemisphere, who endorsed his work to spur the productivity and resilience of agricultural activity and to strengthen rural communities.
The ministers and officials were in Lima, Peru, to discuss the present and future of agriculture at the Forty-fifth Regular Meeting of the IICA Executive Committee, one of the governing bodies of the specialized organization.
Otero provided an account of IICA’s work to increase agricultural productivity and resilience, through science and innovation, and to defend the central and unparalleled role of farmers. The ministers and officials in attendance recognized his work, while also highlighting the pivotal role of the Americas in guaranteeing global food security and preserving natural resources.
Otero noted that IICA had increased its technical cooperation efforts, in a context marked by overlapping crises in recent years. “The promotion of an increasingly prominent sector, through its linkage to science, innovation and technology, has strengthened governments’ trust in IICA and their support for a common agenda that recognizes agriculture as part of the solution to the main challenges faced by humanity”, he remarked.
The Director General explained that the organization is currently undertaking a portfolio of 358 cooperation projects, in collaboration with 500 strategic partners from public, private and civil society organizations, and involving 600 specialists and technical consultants. Its project activities are benefitting approximately 10.5 million farmers and rural stakeholders.
Otero—who opened the meeting, along with the Minister of Agricultural Development and Irrigation of Peru, Ángel Manero Campos—indicated that the countries’ trust had empowered IICA to execute initiatives valuing 200 million dollars annually over the last three years, thereby contributing to the capacity development of 100 million small farmers in three continents, in the area of regenerative agriculture. The countries’ support had also enabled the organization to represent the voice of the farmers of the Americas—who are often unfairly criticized—at the main international forums discussing agriculture, development and environmental issues.
Priorities
Jason Hafemeister, Associate Administrator of the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), noted that his government shares IICA’s work priorities, which focus on supporting agricultural producers, emphasizing science, fostering agricultural competitiveness, supporting the food industry in the hemisphere, expanding food security, and controlling pests and diseases that affect animal and plant production.
“The U.S. government is reviewing its participation in all international agencies. Our objectives in matters such as the opening of new markets for our producers and the strengthening of public-private partnerships are fully aligned with those of IICA”, he stated.
Agustín Tejeda, Argentina’s Undersecretary of Agricultural Markets and International Market Access of the Secretariat of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries, congratulated IICA on creating opportunities for dialogue among countries. He considered that this had allowed for developing unified regional positions, such as on the trade barriers the European Union is promoting on environmental grounds.
On behalf of Brazil’s Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Deputy Executive Secretary Cleber Soares encouraged countries in the region to remain united under IICA’s leadership: “We face the joint challenge of sustaining global food security. The world is relying on the Americas to meet at least 40% of the global food demand”.
Saboto Caesar, Minister of Agriculture of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, referred to IICA’s valuable cooperation with Caribbean countries, whose agriculture sector is particularly vulnerable. In that regard, he highlighted the support his country had received to recover from the eruptions of La Soufrière volcano in 2021 and the devastating passage of Hurricane Beryl in 2024.
The Minister of Agriculture, Food and Nutritional Security of Barbados, Indar Weir, and the representatives of Canada and Mexico also commended IICA on its efforts to position agriculture as part of the solution.
Víctor Carvajal, Minister of Agriculture and Livestock of Costa Rica, designated Chair of the Executive Committee by his peers, highlighted agriculture’s transformation and IICA’s positive role in addressing technological changes in the sector.
Candidates for the position of Director General
During the Executive Committee meeting in the Peruvian capital, the three candidates for the position of Director General for the period 2026-2030, namely Mohammad Ibrahim, of Guyana; Laura Suazo, of Honduras; and Fernando Mattos, of Uruguay, delivered presentations on their plans for IICA.
IICA staff members Hugo Chavarría, Francisco Mello and Federico Sancho presented the progress of the projects IICA has implemented within the framework of the Hemispheric Partnership for Food Security and Sustainable Development, the Living Soils of the Americas initiative and the Hemispheric Fund for Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability in the Americas (FoHRSA).
The Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) also presented management reports.
More information:
Institutional Communication Division.
comunicacion.institucional@iica.int
