BRASÍLIA – Agricultural ministers from across the Americas convened for a pivotal session of the Southern Agricultural Council (CAS) to shape the future of regional farming cooperation. Chaired by Brazil’s Minister of Agriculture and Livestock Carlos Fávaro, the high-level meeting marked a significant step in developing the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture’s (IICA) 2026-2030 Medium-term Plan (MTP).
IICA Director General Muhammad Ibrahim, the Guyanese agronomist who assumed leadership in January, presented the strategic framework that will guide the organization’s technical cooperation across the hemisphere. The MTP represents a comprehensive roadmap designed to address evolving agricultural challenges while harnessing emerging opportunities throughout Ibrahim’s tenure.
The four-pillar strategic architecture focuses on: international trade integration and agribusiness development; agricultural health and food safety systems; science and innovation for productive growth; and sustainable management of natural resources with emphasis on water, soil and biodiversity conservation. Ibrahim emphasized that the plan would incorporate differentiated strategies recognizing the unique agricultural landscapes of Mesoamerica, the Caribbean, Andean region, and Southern Cone nations.
Ministers from Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay, and Uruguay contributed substantive input during the policy dialogue, highlighting additional priority areas including productivity enhancement, technology adoption acceleration, and leveraging biotechnology and artificial intelligence solutions. The participatory approach ensured the final plan would address diverse regional needs while maintaining flexibility for implementation across IICA’s five geographical divisions.
A key innovation involves integrating the comprehensive ‘food systems’ concept into IICA’s mandate, expanding beyond traditional agriculture to encompass entire production-to-consumption chains. Ibrahim stressed the growing complexity of agri-food systems requiring consideration of more social actors and evolving consumption patterns amid global market reconfiguration.
The CAS serves as a crucial platform for coordinated policy development among Southern Cone agricultural ministries, with IICA providing technical and administrative secretariat support. The meeting featured participation from Uruguay’s Minister Alfredo Fratti, Bolivia’s Minister Óscar Mario Justiniano, Paraguay’s Deputy Minister Marcelo González, and senior officials from Chile and Argentina, demonstrating regional commitment to collaborative agricultural advancement.