The meeting reaffirmed the strategic importance of agriculture, especially in Latin America and the Caribbean, its interaction with science, technology and innovation systems, and its productive and inclusive potential.

The rural leaders, from all corners of the hemisphere, will attend lectures by Álvaro Lario, President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD); Rattan Lal, Director of the Center for Carbon Management and Sequestration (C-MASC) at The Ohio State University; and Roberto Rodrigues, former Minister of Agriculture of Brazil and a globally renowned leader of cooperative movements, among other issues. The specialists will discuss key topics such as sustainability, organization and funding.

The high-level event included a fruitful exchange of information on the current challenges, trends and experiences in the fight against zoonoses that pose a threat to health, production, the environment, employment, exports and food and nutritional security.

The debate focused on the role of international trade in helping farmers to access innovation and new tools that facilitate their way to international markets, which is especially important for farmers in developing countries.

During Dr. Otero's visit to Georgetown, both Minister Mustapha and President Ali congratulated IICA for its contribution to this development, which strengthens the position of Guyana, a country that is making an effort to grow and sustain its agriculture and intends to be self-sufficient in commodities such as corn and soybeans by 2026.

The Head of Statewho last October took part in the Conference of Ministers of Agriculture of the region held at IICA’s Headquarters in San José, Costa Ricadiscussed with Otero Guyana’s progress towards achieving more resilient and sustainable food production.

The United States and IICA will collaborate with Guatemalan stakeholders to develop a VACS strategy that builds a more resilient food system through a focus on diverse, climate-adapted crops and healthy, fertile soils.