ANNUAL REPORT 2023
Continental Alliance to Strengthen Agri-Food Systems
Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture
Message from Director General
Manuel Otero,
Director General of IICA
"In 2023, the agriculture sector of the Americas demonstrated its resilience once again, as it continued to foster peace, by feeding the world. Despite the challenges involved in acquiring agricultural inputs, due to the armed conflict in Eastern Europe and the effects of adverse weather conditions—which have generated high levels of water stress, particularly in the southern region of the hemisphere—public and private agricultural and rural organizations relentlessly continued to optimize their resources and capitalize on the opportunities afforded by sustainable development.
The Americas is the world’s major net food exporting region, with the largest reserve of resources and an innovative vision of sustainable production. This represents an ideal opportunity for the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) to continue its mission to promote agricultural development and the well-being of rural territories in its thirty-four Member States, as an agency for food security in the Inter-American System, which provides result-oriented technical cooperation of excellence.
We are an IICA of open doors, committed to working hand in hand with civil society, the agriculture sector and other stakeholders to drive innovation and inclusion and to build a prosperous and equitable future for our member countries. We have built bridges to bring together different stakeholders, perspectives and national, regional and international efforts, with a view to uniting agriculture, the environment and rural areas, through a collaborative and inclusive approach to development. Let us continue to work together to pursue this noble cause".
What is IICA?
The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) is the specialized agency for agriculture and rural development in the Inter-American System. Its mission is to encourage, promote and support the efforts of its 34 Member States to achieve agricultural development and rural well-being, through technical cooperation of excellence. This was embodied in Resolution 545 of the Inter-American Board of Agriculture (IABA), approved in 2023, which tasked the Institute with strengthening and focusing its actions by way of seven technical programs. IICA’s strategy to achieve its objectives is outlined in its 2022-2026 Medium-term Plan; in its business model, which seeks to add value to the cooperation delivered to the member countries; and in five strategic statements that guide and direct the Institute’s actions to achieve the expected results of this cooperation.
The business model
Our five strategic statements
To be an IICA of open doors.
To carry out effective administrative management.
To offer technical cooperation of excellence.
The foster a leadership style that strengthens agrifood systems.
To strengthen the Institute’s finances and establish strategic partnerships.
IICA in numbers
358
technical cooperation initiatives
89 %
of institutional goals achieved
129
national and international partners
+10
million beneficiaries in rural areas
73
courses offered to all the member countries via the Institute’s online campus
USD210
million: total annual execution
499
territories covered in the 34 member countries
+70
project proposals submitted to donors and other relevant parties
4531
participants in 13 hemispheric events
21 236
individuals trained through the virtual campus
+12000
visitors in 2023 within the framework of the IICA of Open Doors initiative
IICA in the media
9 925 mentions in general from IICA
13 500 000 of readers
134 800 new followers on social networks
Our social networks
Open doors
13 494 trees have been planted throughout the Americas, by 2 026 people from 14 countries, under the “Let’s Plant 100 Trees” initiative.
+12 000 visitors in 2023, were given the opportunity to strengthen their digital capacities and offered a first-hand look at technologies that are revolutionizing the world of agriculture today.
Significant Events
First Meeting of High-Potential Students
The event, which brought together 130 gifted and high-potential students of all ages and from schools across Costa Rica, was organized by the Ministry of Public Education (MEP) and held at the Institute. It featured workshops on robotics, artificial intelligence, sciences (biology and research) and creative writing, with a view to strengthening the knowledge, skills and talents of the students.
Minecraft Education Challenge for Agriculture
The challenge attracted 107 youth, ages 12 to 18, and representing 15 public and private educational centers across Costa Rica. Using a tool based on the Minecraft Education game, the event was designed to build the participants’ digital and soft skills, thereby helping to bridge technological and gender gaps.
XIII National Robotic Olympics
130 teams, consisting of 350 girls, boys and youth between 8 and 19, competed to build robots designed to assist people in carrying out their daily tasks in agriculture, environmental care, gardening, medical assistance and home care.
ALTA Fuel & Environment
+150 industry executives specializing in fuels and the environment met in Costa Rica to discuss the impact of high aviation fuel prices.
Ethanol Talks Costa Rica
This seminar drew on Brazil’s experience with ethanol and worked with counterparts in Argentina to determine where and how this experience could be applied or adapted, where necessary.
Technical cooperation of excellence
Innovation and bioeconomy
Countries in the Americas
8
Formulated and implemented strategies, policies and regulations to promote the bioeconomy and its pathways.
400
Improved their pre-incubation and incubation capacities to further develop their biobusinesses.
Entrepreneurs
International public resources
30
For agricultural and rural stakeholders in the Americas were generated, in the form of documents, platforms, methodologies, tools and catalogues.
Individuals
7 200
Are more informed about the potential of biobusinesses and opportunities to promote them.
Decision-makers, researchers, producers and entrepreneurs
10 500
Have more in-depth knowledge about opportunities offered by the bioeconomy and its pathways.
Actors of rurality
20 000
Now understand the potential of the bioeconomy as a national and regional development strategy, through their participation in any of IICA’s 25 seminars, workshops and lectures, among other events.
Bioinputs en Argentina
IICA has promoted and increased awareness about the use of bioinputs, by organizing various events, such as:
The National Bioeconomy Meeting
Organized by the Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, the meeting addressed the issue of bioinput use in agriculture, as a tool to ensure sustainable production amidst climate change.
Bioinput Meetings
+300 farmers were informed about the benefits of bioinputs in horticultural cultivation. The workshops were held in Mar del Plata, in collaboration with the Argentine Bioinputs Chamber and authorities from the General Juan Madariaga division.
“Differentiated institutional strategies for bioinput regulation”
This workshop was conducted in partnership with the National Agrifood Health and Quality Service (SENASA) to share experiences on regulatory frameworks from a regional perspective.
Innovative El Salvador
Some of the outstanding achievements of the Adapted Agroforestry Systems for the Central American Dry Corridor (AGRO-INNOVA) project, funded by the European Union (EU), are:
Implementation of multi-strata agroforestry systems for 531 farmers in Santa Ana to facilitate efficient irrigation, rainwater harvesting and the production of organic inputs.
Under the RECETO program, the installation of greenhouses built with Israeli technology and the introduction of an irrigation system to improve vegetable and biofertilizer production.
The planting of 7 000 trees.
National bioeconomy achievements
Jamaica
Assessment of agricultural post-harvest facilities and the potential to cultivate millet for animal feed, with the support of the World Bank and the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining.
Grenada
Improvement of composting production and the capacity of the Ministry of Agriculture and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) to produce compost at a commercial level.
Paraguay
Donation of tractors, seeding machines and sprayers to six organizations and divisions of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock (MAG), with funding from Itaipú Binacional, benefitting more than 10 000 producers.
Guatemala
Provision of seeds and improved seedlings for 7 389 agricultural producers and the development of 30 field projects for research and infrastructure improvement in various centers, with funding from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
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Development of a study for the National Poultry Farmers Union on the potential of the bioeconomy in the egg value chain.
Guyana
Launch of GRDB IICA 17, a new variety of rice biofortified with zinc, in association with the Rice Development Board and the Ministry of Agriculture.
Bolivia
Training of 47 families on quinoa management and the enactment of two municipal laws in Samaipata and Sorata, with funding from GIZ.
México
The sea moss chain in Dominica
Capacity development of producers and technical officers in sea moss production best practices, the assessment of commercial production areas and the validation of drying technologies.
In partnership with the Division of Agriculture of Dominica and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
Partnership between IICA, UNDP and IDB-Lab
Coronie
Activation of a plant nursery for training and demonstration of plant propagation techniques for fruit crops, which strengthened the capacities of farmers in dragon fruit cultivation and the use of climate-smart technologies.
Financial assistance from the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), the Global Climate Change Partnership and IDB-LAB in support of the Government of Suriname.
Nickerie
Establishment of a protected agriculture structure and installation of irrigation systems in plots of leafy vegetables and fruit crops.
In both districts, low-cost solar dryers and a fish processing unit were installed to improve hygiene and food security.
Red INNOVAGRO, led by Mexico
INNOVAGRO meeting at Universidad Zamorano in Honduras.
Development of the Diploma program in Bioeconomy and Sustainable Projects, for which courses will begin as of 2024.
936
participants from 28 countries in the INNOVAGRO Seminar.
607
people took part in six webinars.
18
countries strengthened their innovation systems through the Innovation Management Network in the Agri-Food Sector (INNOVAGRO).
PROCINORTE
Innovations from Mexico, United States and Canada
The trinational technology program approved grants for projects to address critical issues, such as African swine fever (ASF) preparedness training, traceability methods and molecular epidemiology strategies.
Online training on genebank management.
Commemoration of the 25th anniversary of PROCINORTE with various workshops.
Project execution and training of specialists in the following areas:
The environment
Agricultural health and food safety
Vegetable crop diseases
Animal health
Genetic resource management
PROCISUR
Creation of working groups:
Bioinputs
Animal health
Sustainable livestock production
Climate perspectives
Digital agriculture
Soils
Institutional transformation
Gender
Development of studies and projects on:
Bioinputs
Gender equality
Huanglongbing
Gene editing
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Environmental issues
Science, technology and innovation systems
Legumes in livestock production systems
Territorial Development and Family Farming
Contribution to political discourse through the following activities:
Hemispheric Advisory Committee on Family Farming
A technical-political forum to facilitate the identification and coordination of joint actions, with the participation of representatives from the public sector, the Executive Secretariat of the Central American Agricultural Council (SECAC), Confederation of Family Farmer Organizations of the Expanded MERCOSUR Region (REAF), Confederation of Family Farmer Organizations of the Expanded MERCOSUR Region (COPROFAM), the Rural Regional Dialogue Program (PDRR-CA), Cooperatives of the Americas (COOP) and the Public Policies and Rural Development in Latin America and the Caribbean (PP-AL) Network .
Hemispheric Meetings on Family Farming
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An event organized with the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Family Farming of Brazil, attended by 120 representatives of family farming, academia and international organizations.
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Working group for public policy analysis on family farming in the REAF of the Southern Common Market (MERCOSUR)
A group comprised of technical authorities in public policy design, execution and evaluation from the ministries of Agriculture of Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay, which evaluates trade, financial, environmental and gender-related policies.
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New generation of public policies
Panama
IICA’s technical teams coordinated with 17 institutions to develop guidelines for the State Agrifood Policy (PADE), resulting in the approval of Law No. 352, which promotes access to healthy food, agricultural competitiveness and economic, social and environmental sustainability, The Institute also provided advisory services to support the development of the National Agricultural and Rural Development Plan, aligned with PADE.
Ecuador
The Family Farming Seal is a state policy designed to differentiate the production of this sector and to improve the income it generates in the northern frontier provinces, in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock.
Honduras
+473 000 small farmers from 17 departments were beneficiaries of the Technology Productivity Incentive, increasing the productivity of their maize, rice, bean and sorghum crops. Other presidential programs were also implemented, such as the Coffee Bonus and Livestock Bonus programs in 2023.
National achievements
• Food Vulnerability Reduction Project in Gonâve​
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Distribution of 7.44 tons of sorghum and beans to +2,000 farmers.
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The nutrition of 8,000 families was improved, thanks to the distribution of 16,000 food kits.
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Funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).
Haiti
Perú
Facilitation of dialogue between multiple stakeholders, levels and sectors, in partnership with the Ministry of Agricultural Development and Irrigation (MIDRAGI):​
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Improved economic fortunes for +7,000 small farmers, with the dissemination of the “For a Peru that Flourishes” campaign.
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Development of a work plan to establish a governance model for the cocoa and chocolate chains in 2024 (Multisectoral Working Group on Cocoa).
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Assessment and characterization of family farming (Multi-sectoral Commission on the Promotion and Development of Family Farming).
IICA disseminated updated technical information through the following studies:
+100
farmers in the Lolol, Pumanque and Paredones communities acquired new knowledge and adopted more than 32 new sustainable practices for water use efficiency and digital management, with the support of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Valparaíso.
Family farming in the O’Higgins region of Chile
+200
entrepreneurs with an interest in creating cooperatives or social enterprises in Mexico’s rural areas were assisted, through a partnership with the International Labor Organization.
México
sensitized people from the public and private sectors
XIV Foro Internacional de Desarrollo Territorial
300
International Trade and Regional Integration
Main indicators
19
163
2
3
31
33
5
information exchange initiatives
capacity building initiatives
methodologies and instruments
articles and newsletters
news features and information capsules
documents
business roundtables
Consolidation of the hemispheric partnership in trade-related matters
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Inter-American Development Bank (IDB)
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Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC)
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FAO
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International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
Strategic partners
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Consolidation of a network of agricultural negotiators to present regional positions to the World Trade Organization (WTO).
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Coordination of actions to tackle the emergence of regulations that threaten to restrict agricultural trade.
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The forging of linkages with regional mechanisms and institutions to increase intraregional trade.
Collective actions
Development Workshop
“Strengthening Agrifood Trade in the Region to Enhance its Contribution to Sustainable Development and Food Security”.
Effective participation in multilateral forums
Agreement with the WTO
Signing of a Memorandum of Understanding between IICA and the WTO
Latin American Network of Agrifood Trade Negotiators
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IFPRI
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23 members
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17 countries
WTO Public Forum
2 technical events organized as part of the Public Forum
Best practices manual
To improve countries’ participation in the WTO Committee on Agriculture
El Salvador notifications
Support provided to bring the country’s 10-year backlog of agricultural notifications up to date
Dissemination of trade information, indicators and policies
Contribution to the Public Policy Observatory for Agrifood Systems (OPSAa)
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18 policy frameworks
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6 initiatives
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46 resources
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27 statistical records
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4 technical events
Strengthening intraregional trade
2 seminars on regulatory convergence organized with the Latin American Integration Association (ALADI)
283 participants
2 initiatives with the private sector
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FECALAC
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ALA
Dialogues with the Southern Agricultural Council (CAS)
Preparation for the next WTO Ministerial Conference
Creation of the Latin American and Caribbean Network of Agrifood Trade Experts (RECA) FAO-IDB-IICA
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25 participants
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11 countries
Strengthening technical capacities
4 110 participants
5 strategic partners
25 seminars and conferences
4 courses offered
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“International Trade and Agriculture”
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“Agricultural Trade Policy”
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“Training for the Internationalization of Agricultural SMEs”
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“Preparing to Export Agrifood Products”
Strengthening of market information systems in the Americas
4 capacity building processes.
19 information sharing initiatives.
21,148 views on social media.
5 countries strengthened their agricultural market information systems (AMIS).
788 participants.
Improved market access of producers
Development of the coconut industry in Dominica, in partnership with the International Trade Center (ITC).
Support for coffee cultivation in the Gonzalo Pizarro district of Ecuador, under the HIDROALTO-IICA project.
Development of the mushroom industry, in collaboration with the private sector in Saint Lucia.
Strengthening of entrepreneurial processes in the Saint Vincent and the Grenadines fisheries sector, in partnership with the FAO.
Mapping of the camelid meat and wool value chain in Bolivia.
Funding of the cocoa sector and promotion of gastronomic initiatives to boost Costa Rican cocoa consumption.
In partnership with the National Forestry Conservation Program for Climate Change Mitigation (MINAM), 35 ideas were formulated for potential businesses in the forestry value chain and for projects in native communities.
Implementation of the Sustainability Standard for Dairy Farms, in partnership with Chile’s Conscious Origin program and its Dairy Consortium.
Re-establishment of Antigua black pineapple production, with the production of 2,000 plantlets at the Agricultural Biotechnology Center in Saint Vincent.
Support for the sale of 364 tons of high-quality tomato by 200 producers in Caaguazú, Paraguay, where a commercial center was established (CERCA-BAYER-IICA project).
Agricultural Climate Action and Sustainability
A work protocol was developed in collaboration with the International Institute for Sustainable Development (IISD) in Canada to undertake a comprehensive mapping of regulations on biodiversity and forests in various countries of LAC. It will be completed in 2024.
Participation in national and international climate events, such as the Twenty-Eighth Conference of the Parties (COP28) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), in Dubai.
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The Home of Sustainable Agriculture of the Americas pavilion enabled the Institute to:
Highlight the contributions of farmers and other sector stakeholders to climate adaptation and mitigation.
Establish partnerships with multiple actors to accelerate and expand action and investment, among them:
Raise awareness about climate action challenges, proposals and developments in the sector.
12
ministers and deputy ministers of Agriculture of the region attended COP28.
15
of the region’s countries participated in the Sharm el-Sheikh Joint Work.
events organized with more than 30 partners.
48
Borlaug Dialogue 2023, United States
3 panel discussions organized on:
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Water
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Fusarium raza 4 tropical (R4T) disease in bananas
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Regenerative agriculture
High-level meetings with the Vice-President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), the Minister of Agriculture of Guyana and with private sector companies.
Held in Des Moines, Iowa
Green Climate Fund (GCF)
“GANA-Mexico: Resilient and Low-Emission Livestock and Green Markets in Mexico/Green Climate Fund”
USD 25,000,000 to execute the project to benefit 10 Mexican states, through the transformation of livestock production to develop more climate resilient, sustainable and low-emission systems.
Belize: “Guardians of the Forest”
Formulation of a proposal on resilience and the creation of alternative livelihoods for various communities, which was approved by the Adaptation Fund.
Concept note submitted to the GCF for consideration.
Suriname
200 policymakers, instructors and students of water resource management strengthened their capacities, with funding from the IDB.
Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
53 agricultural stakeholders in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines improved their capacity to develop integrated strategies for soil and water management.
Value of the rice chain
Sustainable rice cultivation
Contribution to the development of strategies to promote a change in rice cultivation practices to build greater resilience and reduce emissions in LAC countries, by exchanging lessons learned and experiences in South-South cooperation processes; formulating national and multi-country rural projects; and organizing webinars and consultation processes to create public policies to promote a more sustainable rice crop.
Application of the System of Rice Intensification (SRI) in Chile and Panama
Chile:
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The first drip irrigation system for rice cultivation was implemented, as an SRI-based innovation.
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In collaboration with the Agricultural Research Institute.
Panama:
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+100 producers of rain-fed rice reduced production costs by 30%.
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40 cents in income generated for each balboa invested.
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Reduction of per hectare greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by approximately one ton of carbon equivalent per hectare.
EbA project in the Caribbean: ecosystem health
Use of vetiver grass to create a new market; prevent water erosion on farms; resolve marine and coastal problems; and reduce factors triggering soil degradation in upland areas, while protecting ecosystems and their services.
+100
beneficiaries.
Hemispheric Initiative on Water and Agriculture
We are strengthening capacities and promoting strategic public-private partnerships in the member countries, to improve the integrated and efficient management of water use in agriculture, in support of the ministries of Agriculture and their key lead agencies.
Partners
The bofedales of Bolivia
2 projects funded by the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation (AECID) and the EU’s EUROCLIMA are fostering the sustainable management and conservation of high-altitude wetlands (bofedales), in partnership with the “Bofedal es Vida” program.
253
producers and more than 100 technicians received training in surface area estimation, mapping, participatory diagnostics and the designing of climate smart management plans.
8
beneficiary municipalities.
Amazon
Ecuadorian Amazon
PROAmazonía
The project benefitted 3,549 families, many of them women-led, by strengthening their coffee and cocoa systems, without the need for deforestation, and increasing their productivity and the sale price for their products.
“Production Development in the Amazon Provinces through Agricultural Innovation and Differentiated Marketing”
Provided support to +1,200 families, in the form of equipment, production infrastructure and innovation systems, thereby boosting their product quality and competitiveness in national and regional markets.
Brazilian Amazon
Preparation of a technical document on the bioeconomy and sociobiodiversity, as key integrating factors in the Amazon countries.
In collaboration with the Brazilian Amazon Environmental Research Institute (IPAM).
Sustainable natural resource use
Jamaica
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Soil health assessment in Jamaica to inform decision-making on declining cocoa and coffee productivity across the agro-ecological zones of the country.
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Funded by the International Trade Centre (ITC), with technical assistance from the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA).
Antigua and Barbuda
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With the assistance of the Global Environment Facility (GEF), partnerships were forged with religious and educational organizations to implement hydroponic systems and to revive pineapple production, through the use of environmentally friendly technologies.
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A mangrove nursery was also established in collaboration with BarbudanGo.
Capacity Development in Renewable Energy Use and Energy Efficiency
Terraviva Project
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Rural communities in Bolivia, Colombia, Costa Rica and Guatemala.
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Funded by AECID.
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104 producers from 5 rural communities in Bolivia benefitted from the development of pre-feasibility studies and the installation of clean energy technologies for use in production.
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250 producers in Colombia benefitted from renewable energy projects, which expanded their production opportunities.
Validation of results regarding the processing and use of coffee pulp and mucilage in Colombia, thereby increasing efficiency and productivity, while reducing the costs of commercial coffee production.
Agricultural Health, Safety and Agrifood Quality
main regional integration mechanisms
The Inter-American Group for Coordination of Animal Health in the Southern Cone (GICSV), the Plant Health Committee (COSAVE) and the Permanent Veterinary Committee of the Southern Cone (PVC)—were responsible for 90% of the technical management of the various activities.
individuals participated in 20 meetings
On international standards, reaching a consensus on improving trade in the countries of the Americas.
1,650
+12,500
3
+1,100
persons trained
In issues related to animal health, plant health, food safety and sanitary and phytosanitary measures, by way of more than 85 in-person/hybrid technical events and more than 130 virtual technical events.
people from 24 countries participated
In the virtual platform and training program in 2023, which included 4 courses.
82
professionals participated in the first training activity of the newly launched Regional Center of Excellence for Latin America and the Caribbean in Pesticide Sciences, which focused on magnitude studies for chemical pesticide residues and biopesticide efficacy tests. The training was organized in partnership with the USDA, the Minor Use Foundation (MUF), the Standards and Trade Development Facility (STDF) and Universidad Nacional de Colombia.
“Improving Capacity Building and Knowledge Sharing to Support Management of Cadmium (Cd) Levels in Cocoa in Latin America and the Caribbean”
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Funded by the STDF and the 11th European Development Fund, along with national agencies in Colombia, Ecuador, Peru and Trinidad.
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9 recommendations formulated to mitigate levels of cadmium in the cocoa value chain.
Colombia, Ecuador and Peru
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Capacity strengthening in the preparation of emergency drills.
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3 drills were conducted and tailored to the needs of each country, in order to address the Fusarium TR4 emergency.
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ASF: The Dominican Republic experience
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+200 pig farmers whose operations were hit by African swine fever (ASF), received compensation, through a joint initiative with the USDA Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS).
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With USDA resources, technical and administrative cooperation was offered to the Ministry of Agriculture for the strategic and operational management of ASF, to contain and fight against the disease.
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Incidents were addressed in a timely manner and compensation provided through the Agricultural Bank of the Dominican Republic.
Pests and diseases
IICA, along with its public and private partners, universities and donors, undertook the following:
Antigua and Barbuda
Improvement of the population and health of bees affected by the Varroa mite.
Nicaragua
Transboundary management and control of avian influenza, Fusarium TR4, the screwworm and the giant snail.
St. Kitts and Nevis
Importation of 1,000 in vitro banana seedlings of the Cavendish Formosana variety, tolerant to TR4, and their acclimatization to the conditions of the country.
Trinidad y Tobago
Training of +200 stakeholders from rural areas in surveillance and assessment of livestock diseases (e.g. Salmonella), in collaboration with the World Organization for Animal Health (WOAH), Washington State University and the Government.
Brazil
102 municipalities in Alagoas benefitted from a vaccination campaign against classical swine fever.
Argentina, Bolivia and Chile
Exchange of knowledge on the technique involving the release of chilled adult fruit flies.
Chile
Together with the Chilean Agency for Food Safety and Quality, a draft methodology was developed to estimate the social and economic costs of foodborne diseases.
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1,800 producers from Colombia, Ecuador and Peru improved their knowledge of musaceae biosecurity, to control and prevent the entry of the TR4 fungus into their plots.
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The training took place in field schools, within the framework of cooperation actions between GIZ and IICA.
Prevention of the entry of Fusarium oxysporum f. sp. Cubense TR4
14 existing initiatives and the creation of six new initiatives
Valuing USD 10,300,000, the initiatives focused on ASF, maximum residue limits (MRLs), the AMR Mobile App, food safety, SPS, harmonization of food safety processes in LAC and the STDF.
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9 strategic partners
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USDA
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Food and Drug Administration and the CODEX Office in the United States
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STDF
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EU
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Minor Use Foundation (MUF)
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WOAH
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Program on the Global Burden of Animal Diseases (GBAD)
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U.S. Dairy Export Council.
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Digitalization of Agrifood Systems
+50
policy initiatives to drive agri-food digitalization mapped and analyzed in 2 regions and 7 countries
+50
+15
seminars and conferences at national and international events
One technical report/ study published and two completed
Digital Agriculture Week
participating AgTechs and 15 winners
presentations and exchange forums
+50
1,000
Caribbean Week of Agriculture
virtual participants and +70 in person participants; +50 press articles
75
Parallel event with NASA Harvest and the University of Maryland
7public and private strategic partners participated
COOP and IICA
Capacity development of technical and managerial staff in various family farming cooperatives in the area of digital technology skills.
Delivery of short training courses on the application of digital technology in agriculture, in partnership with Universidad de Córdoba, Spain.
45 participants.
Internet portal to grant various cooperatives access to the digital technologies of partners of the Institute.
Design of a project to enhance the digital literacy of cooperative members.
AI applied in agriculture
IICA AgTech Network
Drone4Agriculture
Eight-week training program/ course.
Expanded the knowledge and capacities of technical officers in the ministries of Agriculture with respect to the use of drones in agriculture.
+1,000 individuals from various organizations and countries benefitted.
30 leading AgTechs from 16 countries.
Increased interaction, direct contact and collaboration between companies.
Agrihub
Land acquisition and strategic planning
Training hub that:
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Develops business plans related to the bioeconomy.
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Conducts drone photogrammetry to design farm plans.
Assistance in the development of a USD 19,000,000 loan project for 2024.
First version of agtechs interactive platform
+300 mapped agtechs.
Panama’s Center for Research and Production in Controlled Environments
Assistance provided in the design and management of this new center. The National Laboratory of the International Space Station and the Center for the Advancement of Science in Space of the United States National Aeronautics and Space Administration granted approval for research on Fusarium TR4-resistant varieties to be conducted at the station.
Experience with apps in Trinidad and Tobago
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Training on digital applications such as FarmVue and AgriFindr and geospatial mapping tools to improve decision-making and data recording related to coastal soil erosion.
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This initiative benefited 64 technical and field officers of the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Fisheries, the National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation and the Cocoa Research Center.
IICA Digital Fabrication Lab (Fab-Lab)
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12 events held in Costa Rica, in partnership with the Asociación de Desarrollo Integral de San Rafael de Heredia, Asociación de Comercio Justo Bosque, the municipality of Pérez Zeledón, the Lapa Verde shelter, Asociación Edunámica, the Center for Environmental Law and Natural Resources (CEDARENA), the Trade Promotion Agency (PROCOMER), the National Women’s Institute (INAMU), the Puntarenas Marine Park, NASA-SERVIR, the Biodiversity Finance Initiative (BIOFIN) of UNDP, aqueducts of the Central Valley and entrepreneurs from the Central region.
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2 editions staged of “Chicas a Volar” (“Let’s Fly Girls”).
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22 women from indigenous territories participated in the Women’s Rally, organized in association with BIOFIN.
Rural connectivity in Latin America and the Caribbean
Gender Equality and Youth
26 panelists participated in the Permanent Forum of Female Ministers, Deputy Ministers and Senior Officials of the Americas.
Development of a methodology for the selection of youth ambassadors, in collaboration with the NGIN coalition.
Youth in the Dairy Sector: Event with I4Nature to commemorate World Milk Day.
Latin American Meeting of Youth for Rural Development, held in Palmira, in partnership with FAO, GIZ, the EU, the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research and the Colombian Agricultural Research Corporation.
Together with the Young Americas Business Trust (YABT), participation in high-level forums, such as the International Youth Entrepreneurship and Innovation Symposium, the Policy Laboratory at the 2023 Summit for Democracy and the ICT Americas event – a virtual event that sought to highlight the key role of rural youth in agrifood systems.
Courses
Training program for rural women
56 women from the Andean and Central regions completed the course on “Entrepreneurship for Rural Women”.
Climate change and green recovery
Training of 70 rural women, organized in collaboration with the General Directorate of Rural Development of Uruguay.
Platform of Rural Women of MERCOSUR (REAF/IICA)
It provides information, training and the promotion of knowledge exchange, and is available in Spanish, Portuguese and Guaraní
The platform designed, structured and offered a sustainable business course targeting female entrepreneurs in rural Argentina, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay and Uruguay.
The course was completed by 33 women leaders, representing community enterprises in grass-roots organizations, with a membership of approximately 500 rural women.
Training of 34 tutors to prepare them to teach the course at the national, organizational and rural levels.
Strengthening the Local Institutional Framework for Women and for Individual and Collective Microenterprises
124 women from three organizations benefitted
In partnership with the Guatemalan authorities
Individual and Collectiv
Funded by the 2021 Global Equity and Equality Fund (GEEA) of the U.S. State Department
Selected in the Empower Innovation Challenge
Rural Women
The is a virtual space that promotes participation, inclusion and equity for rural women in the Americas. It facilitates the exchange of experiences and knowledge, the creation of networks and the visibility of activities. In addition, it offers training, association and empowerment opportunities, and stands out for its scope in networking and impact on public policies.
Young leaders in Honduras
IICA established the School of Agricultural Leaders in Danlí to train young people in digital agriculture and leadership.
Gender
The Institute joined forces with global women's associations, meeting in New York City, during the 67th session of the Commission on the Status of Women, to focus on gender gaps faced by rural women and girls in the Americas.
United States
+25 women and youth strengthened their agricultural processing capacities for the local market, under a training program aimed at raising gender awareness among agribusiness service providers.
Antigua and Barbuda
80 participants from different regions underwent intensive training through the DreamBuilder program of the Academy for Women Entrepreneurs, thanks to a partnership with the national chapter of WeLead Caribbean. The Guyana School of Agriculture sought to integrate the gender perspective into its curriculum.
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Guyana
Suriname
Solutions were designed to increase resilience to the impacts of climate change in the production of women's groups in the Kapasikele area, in collaboration with the IDB Lab.
Public Policy Observatory for Agrifood Systems (OPSAa)
The platform was created as a key forum to facilitate reflection, interaction, knowledge sharing and public policy planning focusing on agrifood systems in LAC.
Its work is based on three fundamental pillars:​
The systematization of policies
The organization of evidence-based discussions
The undertaking of prospective analysis
Impacto del observatorio
280,000 interactions
47 new indicators organized into 19 categories
1,700 new records on policy frameworks, funding initiatives, information resources, statistical records and events
86 000 visits
Institutional relations and project management
Canadian cooperation and agriculture in LAC
​Formalization of a CAD 5,000,000 project with Global Affairs Canada (GAC).
The aim of the project is to use satellite data and remote sensing technologies to improve sustainable livestock production management in Guatemala and Mexico, with technical support from Argentina.
The project is seeking to promote innovative perspectives on food security, climate change, food safety and agrotourism, through multiple international conferences and seminars.
Strengthening IICA’s network of national partners in Nicaragua
200 students from two secondary schools in Managua benefitted from the “Environmental Initiative pilot program, which was expanded to ten schools, with the approval of the Ministry of Education.​
The network of national partners of the Institute in Nicaragua was strengthened.
IICA collaborated closely with academic institutions such as Universidad de Ciencias Comerciales, Universidad Nacional Francisco Luis Espinoza Pineda and Universidad Nacional Agraria, organizing seminars, technical lectures and participating in high-level academic activities.
Distribution of partners by type
Some of IICA’s strategic partners in 2023:
Strategic management and organizational design
Experience sharing
Implementation of an integrated planning process throughout IICA, as established within the framework of the 2022-2026 Medium-term Plan.
This experience has been shared with authorities from the ministries of Agriculture of Argentina, Costa Rica, Guyana and Peru, and with institutions specializing in coffee and rural development in Honduras and the Dominican Republic.
+130 business intelligence dashboards created to provide updated data.
Human talent
The survey is designed to evaluate organizational climate and culture and it demonstrates the commitment of the staff to provide technical cooperation of excellence.
Implementation of institutional recognition programs
+70 technical teams involved
99% of the staff achieved their results
Certification
90 staff members certified in project negotiation, conflict resolution and the handling of difficult conversations.
Budget and finances
Collection of the quotas needed to fund 100% of the budget approved by the IABA.
Process re-engineering plan to improve operations and cushion against the effects of cost increases, making use of institutional capacities and economies of scale.
USD 6,500,000 generated from the diversification of the investment portfolio.
For the fifth consecutive year, the Institute’s financial statements received a clean and unqualified opinion from the external auditors.
Accounting/ financial strengthening through the implementation of a new accounting standard applicable to IICA, which was validated by the auditors and adopted in our offices, after a training process had been completed.
Information and communication technologies
Optimization with modern digital platforms for planning, programming, evaluation and for the IICA performance map.
500 virtual or hybrid meetings, which provided language interpretation services, working group collaboration and social media streaming.
Knowledge management
IICA virtual campus
The Center for Knowledge Management and Horizontal Cooperation Services stores a vast repository of specialized courses on agricultural issues in the Americas.
IICA Blog
+41000
readers
60,000
views
151,000
events or interactions according to Google Analytics, which demonstrate the value of the Institute’s knowledge and experience.
