Opening session.

Buenos Aires, October 4, 2016 – The 15th Ibero-American INIA System Meeting, which was held in Buenos Aires, Argentina on October 3 and 4, following the XX Annual Meeting of the Board of FONTAGRO, brought together representatives from more than 15 countries, who discussed topics such as animal health and the international trade between Latin America and Europe.

INTA Argentina (National Institute of Agricultural Technology) was the host of this Meeting that gathered representatives from Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Portugal, Spain, Uruguay and Venezuela, as well as special guests from Mexico and Guatemala.

The main topics in the agenda of the Meeting were the impact of transboundary animal diseases, sustainable intensification of livestock production systems, and the international trade between Latin America and Europe. Other topics discussed were genetic breeding improvement in crops and animals, machinery for family farming, and how to strengthen technological, institutional, and organizational capabilities.

Also, coordination and monitoring actions were endorsed for two initiatives already under way, which are co-funded by FONTAGRO. These two initiatives, on bioeconomy and intensive horticulture, were approved in the Meeting held in Almeria, Spain in 2015.

Additionally, the countries participating in the 15th Meeting made presentations showing the progress made on topics as animal health and international farming trade. Also, Dr. Santiago Fariña -from INIA Uruguay- presented the advances in the regional platform for dairy sustainable intensification, led by Uruguay and co-funded by FONTAGRO, which includes 11 participating countries from Latin America.

Among the participants, FONTAGRO was represented by the recently elected President Armando Bustillo, the previous President Dr. José Luis Repetto and the Executive Secretary Dr. Hugo Li Pun.

For further information, please contact us via email at ccarrasco@iadb.org

****
About FONTAGRO
FONTAGRO is a unique regional cooperation mechanism that promotes family farming innovation, competitiveness, and food security. It was established in 1998 and it includes fifteen member countries that have contributed a capital of some $100 million. FONTAGRO is sponsored by the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA). Its Technical Administrative Secretariat is based at IDB headquarters in Washington, D.C. FONTAGRO has co-financed more than 100 projects and initiatives in its member countries for an approximate amount of $88.7 million, including contributions from other sources of funding and executing agencies. Its member countries are Argentina, Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Costa Rica, Dominican Republic, Ecuador, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, Paraguay, Peru, Spain, Uruguay, and Venezuela.

Contact Information:
Carina Carrasco
Communications
Phone Number: +1202 623 3038.
Email: ccarrasco@iadb.org

References:
#innovation #funding #LatinAmerica #Caribbean #agriculture #familyfarming #animalhealth #farmers #projects #horticulture #agriculturaltrade #machinery #dairy #cattleraising #AECID #cooperation #foodsecurity #IberoAmerica #Argentina #Chile #Costa Rica #Colombia #Ecuador #Spain #Honduras #Nicaragua #Panama #Paraguay #Peru, #DominicanRepublic #Uruguay #Mexico #Guatemala #Portugal #INIA #FONTAGRO #IDB #IICA