IICA pushing innovation-driven vision for agriculture

Just months after taking leadership of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), Director-General Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim has unveiled plans for a science and technology-driven transformation.

Dr. Ibrahim, during the launch of a planned agri-innovation hub on Tuesday, said innovation will be at the center of IICA’s new medium-term strategy. He said plans are aimed at helping countries boost food production, strengthen climate resilience and modernise agricultural systems.

“We are looking at gene-editing, looking at bio-technology, better seed production some example are better breeds,” Dr. Ibrahim said.

He outlined four priority areas that will guide IICA’s work in the coming years, science, technology and innovation, trade and agribusiness, natural assets and biodiversity, and climate change and biosecurity. He also said the organisation is seeking to accelerate the adoption of new technologies and scientific tools that can improve productivity while helping countries adapt to growing climate threats.

“IICA is playing an important role in looking at incubators and engaging youths in terms of building business entrepreneurship in this area,” he said.

As such, the strategy places significant emphasis on attracting young people to agriculture through innovation, entrepreneurship and business development programmes.

He emphasised that trade remains one of the critical priority areas and said disease control and surveillance is also high on the agenda.

“We have looked at the issues related to regional trade, what are the transboundary barriers related to pest diseases as we have seen with African swine or bird flu and those are some of the issues we have to look at,” he said.

Dr. Ibrahim said these priorities will help position the agriculture sector to better respond to emerging challenges while creating new opportunities for growth, investment and sustainable development across the region.

He said the establishment of the agri-innovation hub and support from Embrapa places Guyana and Brazil as key players in IICA’s strategic goals.