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OAS AND AGRICULTURE INSTITUTE SUPPORT INVESTMENT IN AGRICULTURE TO GUARANTEE FOOD SECURITY IN THE REGION

The Organization of American States (OAS) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) held today a conference named, “Agriculture for Development and Food Security in the Americas”, with the participation of experts, academics, and government representatives from the region who exchanged experiences about the current state of food security, the impact of agriculture on the economy and the existing national plans in this area.

The Conference, which took place at the OAS Headquarters in Washington, D.C., focused on discussing the needs and opportunities to invest in agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean, on the promotion of hemispheric cooperation, and on raising visibility of the importance of food security and its relationship to agriculture.

The Director General of the IICA, Chelston Brathwaite, asserted that “agriculture is a critical factor for poverty reduction because the majority of poor people live in rural areas and depend on agriculture for their sustenance”. Furthermore, he warned that “agriculture will not be able to make an appropriate contribution to poverty reduction and the elimination of food insecurity unless a new concept of the sector is promoted and a new model of development is implemented.”

Referring to the food crisis that recently affected many countries of the world, Brathwaite recalled that the issues that originated the food security problems have not been eliminated, and therefore to avoid a deepening of the crisis, “agriculture, food production, and food security must be given highest priority in the national, regional and international agendas.”

The IICA director stressed that “underestimating the importance of the food and agriculture industries in economic development has had a series of negative consequences.” He finally advocated for the promotion of greater investment in this area to accomplish social and political stability.

On the other hand, OAS Assistant Secretary General, Albert Ramdin, said the Organization has an important role to play in the issue of food security. Hence, he proposed initiatives to which the institution can make meaningful contributions. Those included: partnering with the IICA to focus political attention on the food security issue; collaborating with the member countries to develop home-grown solutions aimed at improving investment and developing internal and external markets for agriculture; reaching out to financial institutions to garner support that will help implement programs that promote sustainable agriculture; working with governments and educational institutions to bring new emphasis to the role of agriculture in development; encouraging multilateral institutions to provide technical assistance; and working with international institutions to preserve the national agricultural base, expand employment opportunities and reenergize rural economic growth.

The speakers in the food security conference came from institutions such as: the World Food Programme (WFP); the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI); the World Bank; the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB); the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean; (ECLAC); the Food and Agriculture; Organization (FAO); the Norman Borlaug Institute for International Agriculture; the International Markets Bureau-Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada, the Pan-American Health Organization (PAHO); the University of California-Davis; and the Latin American Agribusiness Development Corporation.

Based in San José Costa Rica, IICA is the specialized agency for agriculture and the rural milieu of the Inter-American System whose purpose is to provide innovative technical cooperation to its Member States, with a view to achieving their sustainable development in aid of the peoples of the Americas.

Reference: E-315/09