At the meeting, the participants decided to create a network, with technical support from IICA, which will seek to promote actions to strengthen and empower rural territories and their stakeholders, and prioritize their role as guarantors of food and nutrition security and guardians of the planet’s biodiversity.

The decision, taken by more than 40 leaders from 21 countries and every region of the Americas, was endorsed by the Director General of IICA, Manuel Otero, following intensive discussions and the sharing of experiences at the “First Meeting of Leaders of Rurality of the Americas: Strengthening Rurality through Sustainable, Resilient and Inclusive Production,” organized by the inter-American agency in San José, Costa Rica.

At the meeting, held virtually, it was emphasized that the American continent is a key player in global food security and environmental sustainability.

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.