On November 4, Brasilia will host a pivotal meeting of the Americas’ agriculture ministers, including representatives from the 14 Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nations, to elect a new Director General for the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA). This election is critical for shaping the future of agricultural policies, particularly in areas like biotechnology, life sciences, information technology, data science, robotics, engineering, and artificial intelligence. These advancements aim to reconcile the dual objectives of boosting productivity and ensuring sustainability. Agriculture must increasingly secure food, energy, and fiber supplies, generate employment, and foster rural development, thereby contributing to social stability and governance. The IICA has undergone significant repositioning over the past eight years, gaining widespread recognition across the Americas and beyond. The new Director General will need to spearhead efforts to develop and implement technological, policy, and institutional solutions to address the challenges of feeding a growing population with healthy and sustainable diets, while also generating income and employment, especially for vulnerable populations. Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim, an agricultural scientist and candidate from Guyana and CARICOM, emphasizes the need for humility, transparency, and technical expertise in leading IICA. The 2025 Conference of Ministers of Agriculture is expected to be a milestone in consolidating the Americas’ role in global food security. The projected increase in the global population to 10 billion by 2050 necessitates a significant boost in food production, highlighting the responsibility of the Americas, a continent with a diverse agricultural landscape. IICA’s mission is to transform this diversity into complementarity, fostering development and prosperity through soil recovery, smart intensification, strong family farming, loss reduction, and innovation.
OP-ED: The Caribbean united in promoting agricultural development and prosperity in the Americas
