Manuel Otero supports forum for discussions on food and agriculture with a global reach at Wolrd Food Prize organized event in Iowa

DES MOINES, IA, UNITED STATES, October 28, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) will be heavily involved in the 2024 Norman E. Borlaug International Dialogue, a prestigious, high-level symposium that discusses the most important issues facing food and agriculture worldwide.

The event brings together world leaders and renowned experts from the fields of agricultural development, public policies, good practices and nutrition. Organized by the World Food Prize (WFP) Foundation, it is taking place from October 29 to 31 in Des Moines, Iowa.

The participants will take inspiration from the historic legacy of scientist Norman Borlaug –the father of the so-called Green Revolution, who saved millions of people from starvation–, as they come together for this year’s event, the theme of which is “Seeds of Opportunity: Bridging Generations and Cultivating Diplomacy.”

IICA Director General Manuel Otero will be involved in several activities along with the Secretary of Agriculture and Livestock of Honduras, Laura Suazo, and the Minister of Agriculture of Guyana, Zulfikar Mustapha (representing the Latin American and Caribbean region); the Vice-President of the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), Gerardine Mukeshimana; and the Institute’s Deputy Director General, Lloyd Day.

IICA and the WFP Foundation –whose mission is to promote innovations and inspire action to sustainably increase the quality, quantity, and availability of food for all– have been working together in Latin America and the Caribbean, a key area for global food security.

In October 2023, they entered into a formal agreement aimed at addressing technological challenges in the agriculture sector and building capacity in young people so they can help transform agrifood systems in the region.

Terry Branstad, President of the WFP Foundation, stressed the importance of its work with IICA aimed at the adoption of innovations in rural areas: “Agriculture is increasingly becoming a driving force for economic and social transformation in the countries of the Americas. There can be no letup in our efforts to improve agriculture and conservation through new technologies.”

“IICA is a bridge between the different countries and their agricultural sectors, which view the world from the Americas. Through our partnership with the WFP Foundation, we can implement initiatives that strengthen the inclusion of young people and women, increase the use of digital technologies, and close the gaps that exist in agriculture in our region,” Manuel Otero said.

New narrative

IICA is organizing a session with the participation of ministers Mustapha and Suazo, as well as Otero, Vice-President Mukeshimana, and Lloyd Day.

The panel discussion, entitled “Creating a New Narrative: Agrifood Systems for Healthy People and a Healthy Planet,” will propose positive ways in which the Americas can change the negative narrative about agrifood systems that portrays them as inefficient.

The aim is to reflect the true situation of a sector that makes a crucial contribution to food security and economic and social development by producing food, fibre and energy for the world, while implementing good practices for environmental care.

Otero will also take part in a panel on innovation in animal production, along with Appolinaire Djikeng, Director General of the International Livestock Research Institute (ILRI); Judith de Vor, a farmer and member of the Global Farmer Network (GFN); and Surita Sandosham, President and CEO of Heifer International.

The discussion will focus on the importance of ensuring that innovations reach small farmers, who have difficulty accessing new technologies and good practices.

Parallel to the Borlaug Dialogue, the WFP Foundation will present its prestigious awards to individuals who are making exceptional contributions to global food security. Among those to be honored is Jack Bobo, Director of the Food Systems Institute at the University of Nottingham in the United Kingdom, who will receive the Borlaug CAST Communication Award for his innovative work in science communication. Bobo has links with IICA and this year has taken part in several of the inter-American agency’s activities.

About IICA
IICA is the specialized agency for agriculture in the Inter-American system, with a mission to encourage, promote and support its 34 Member States in their efforts to achieve agricultural development and rural well-being through international technical cooperation of excellence.

About IICA
IICA is the specialized agency for agriculture in the Inter-American system, with a mission to encourage, promote and support its 34 Member States in their efforts to achieve agricultural development and rural well-being through international technical cooperation of excellence.

Randall Cordero
Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture
+506 2216 0222
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