The Costa Rica Headquarters of the specialized agency for agriculture and its Brazil and Colombia Offices were awarded a distinction in the eco diplomat category.

In Asunción, the hemispheric organization presented a proposal to Denis Lichi, the Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, on developing the banana sector as a means of bolstering the income of family farmers.

The document is being prepared in response to requests by the Presidents of the region in a Special Declaration on pricing and trading of coffee in countries of the Central American Integration System (SICA).

The initiative seeks to assist small-scale producers of basic grains in one of the world’s most vulnerable regions to climate change, by boosting their productivity and guaranteeing food security.

The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) is adopting an innovative approach and actions to foster the economic independence and empowerment of rural women. The Institute’s decisive actions stem from the recognition of a painful reality: rural women are among the most disadvantaged group of women.

The agreement was signed in Buenos Aires by Ricardo Negri, President of SENASA, and Manuel Otero, Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture. It will contribute to strengthening agricultural health and the quality and safety of agrifood products, enhancing the capacities and services offered by SENASA.