IICA presents opportunities to the private sector for investing in the agricultural sector of the Americas

Des Moines, Iowa, 18 October, 2013 (IICA). Improving public policies, strengthening the development of young leaders and introducing innovative technologies, are among the principal benefits that would accrue to agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean if the private sector were to increase its investment in this area, as pointed out to international entrepreneurs by the Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Víctor M. Villalobos.

During a meeting with nearly 20 executives, whose organizations are part of the Global Harvest Initiative (GHI), Dr. Villalobos stated that the paradigm of international cooperation in the area of agriculture, traditionally directed towards governments, is changing in order to attract the private sector and jointly promote transformation in areas such as agricultural health and food safety (SAIA) and the promotion of innovation and biotechnology.

Since the beginning of this year, IICA has been an advisory partner of the GHI, an association of global companies that pursues growth in world agricultural productivity through improvements in value chains.

“The Institute regards the partnership with GHI as an important step towards developing closer ties with the private sector that will enable it to strengthen its mission of promoting more competitive, sustainable and inclusive agriculture in the Americas”, stated the Director General of IICA.

He pointed to areas of similarity between the objectives of IICA in Latin America and the Caribbean and the interests of investors in the region: solid regulatory frameworks, more developed agricultural markets, improvements in risk management, entrepreneurship, introduction of more productive practices and technologies, economic well-being, greater rural development and access to cutting-edge information on agriculture.

Some modalities of technical cooperation employed by the Institute in its 34 member countries, which could facilitate private investments in agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean, include the delivery of science-based information for decision-making, the search for agreements among the public and private sectors and improvement in AHFS capabilities, added Villalobos.

As examples of what can be achieved with public-private partnerships and with coordination by IICA, the Director-General pointed to the AHFS program (with significant support from the U.S. and Canada) for capacity building and adoption of international standards in the countries of Latin America and the Caribbean, sanitary and phytosanitary emergency care, compliance with regulations of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the performance of the Executive Leadership in Food Safety Program.

He also mentioned the support that IICA gives to its member countries in the implementation of regulatory frameworks in biosafety, an initiative that has also facilitated the establishment, in Central America and the Southern Cone, of regional commissions that disseminate knowledge and experience in this area among the countries.

“In both cases, IICA works alongside the countries to solve problems, boost capacities, facilitate participation of the countries in world forums, and promote decision-making based on science”, added Villalobos.

The Director-General also participated in the Bourlaug Dialogue in Iowa, organized by the World Food Prize Foundation, which, every year, recognizes the contribution of prominent leaders and scientists devoted to agriculture.

For futher information: 
david.hatch@iica.int