Against a backdrop of persistent challenges to food security and sustainable agricultural development across the Americas, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is preparing to launch a pivotal two-day high-level regional dialogue next week, scheduled for August 18 to 19. The gathering will be centered on unlocking new financing pathways and expanding investment in the region’s agrifood systems, a critical sector that supports hundreds of millions of livelihoods while underpinning global food supplies.
Hosted at the FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean in Santiago, Chile, the event will draw more than 70 senior representatives from 16 countries across the region, bringing a diverse range of perspectives to the table. Attendees will span public sector government officials, leaders from global and regional financial institutions, representatives of leading international development organizations, and key stakeholders from the private sector. Over the course of the two days, participants will collaborate to share on-the-ground experiences, dissect evidence-based financing tools, assess existing program effectiveness, and refine strategic frameworks designed to accelerate targeted investment in local agrifood infrastructure and operations.
Beyond reviewing current models, the dialogue is structured to tackle systemic gaps in regional agrifood financing. Key agenda items include exploring actionable strategies to build more robust, territorially focused financial ecosystems that serve rural and marginalized producer communities, deepening cross-sector strategic partnerships that align public and private investment goals, and laying the groundwork for a permanent cross-stakeholder task force focused on advancing innovative, inclusive financing models that leave no community behind.
The event will kick off with a keynote opening address from René Orellana Halkyer, FAO Assistant Director-General and Regional Representative for Latin America and the Caribbean, who will outline the urgent need for scaled investment and lay out a vision for collaborative action to transform the region’s agrifood systems. Among the other prominent featured speakers is Shaun Baugh, who will represent the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), bringing critical insight into the unique financing challenges facing small island developing states across the Caribbean.
By the close of the dialogue, organizers anticipate that participating stakeholders will have forged new connections, aligned on shared priorities, and identified concrete, replicable approaches that expand access to affordable financing for agrifood development projects across all corners of Latin America and the Caribbean. The outcomes of the dialogue are expected to guide regional policy and investment efforts for years to come, supporting long-term food security, economic growth, and sustainable development across the region.