Agricultural research leaders from across Latin America and the Caribbean have unanimously celebrated the impactful tenure of Manuel Otero as Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), whose term concludes on January 15. Under Otero’s leadership since January 2018, IICA has undergone significant transformation, particularly through strengthened alliances with FONTAGRO, the region’s premier agricultural innovation platform.
Otero’s strategic vision focused on enhancing the competitiveness of agrifood systems, poverty reduction, and promoting sustainable natural resource management. His administration supported 212 active agricultural innovation projects engaging over 8,000 researchers throughout the region.
Regional agricultural directors highlighted various aspects of Otero’s legacy. Nicolás Bronzovich of Argentina’s INTA stated that Otero’s vision ‘transformed agricultural cooperation in our region,’ while Peru’s INIA Executive President Jorge Ganoza Roncal acknowledged his ‘steadfast support for capacity-building efforts.’
Chile’s INIA Food Sector Head María Teresa Pino emphasized that ‘Otero’s commitment to innovation and research has been key to improving our capabilities,’ a sentiment echoed by Colombia’s AGROSAVIA Executive Director Miguel Serrano López, who praised Otero’s ability to ‘unite diverse nations behind a common goal.’
Costa Rica’s INTA Executive Director José Roberto Camacho Montero noted that ‘Otero’s dedication to food security has been an example to us all,’ and Ecuador’s INIAP Director Raúl Jaramillo commended his efforts to address evolving agricultural challenges.
Panama’s IDIAP acting head Alexandra Rodríguez recognized Otero’s crucial role in fostering agricultural innovation, while Uruguay’s INIA President Miguel Sierra praised his ‘tireless efforts to unite the agricultural community of Latin America.’
FONTAGRO Executive Secretary Eugenia Saini highlighted the strategic partnership between IICA and the innovation fund, recalling that ‘Manuel Otero opened the doors of IICA to us at a difficult time.’ She noted that his leadership ‘put us back on the map’ in international dialogues.
Otero will be succeeded by Guyanese agronomist Muhammad Ibrahim, who assumes the Director General position on January 15.