FONTAGRO, UF, and IICA Launch New Scientific Front Against New World Screwworm and Citrus Greening
Gainesville, FL, USA, 2026
GAINESVILLE, FL — In a landmark mobilization of hemispheric science, FONTAGRO, the University of Florida (UF/IFAS), and IICA have unified a coalition of 125 experts to combat the resurgence of the New World Screwworm and the devastating spread of Citrus Greening. By aligning investment and research across the U.S., Latin America, and the Caribbean, the partners are shifting from reactive crisis management to a synchronized, technology-driven defense of the Americas’ agricultural heritage.
Transboundary pests and diseases like the New World Screwworm (NWS) and Citrus Greening (HLB) do not respect borders. They threaten the food security of millions and the economic stability of the hemisphere's multi-billion dollar livestock and citrus industries. FONTAGRO (the Regional Fund for Agricultural Technology), the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) joined forces with universities, national agricultural research institutes, private-sector representatives, and farmers’ organizations from across the Western Hemisphere to strengthen coordinated scientific responses to these threats.
Transboundary pests and diseases like the New World Screwworm (NWS) and Citrus Greening (HLB) do not respect borders. They threaten the food security of millions and the economic stability of the hemisphere's multi-billion dollar livestock and citrus industries. FONTAGRO (the Regional Fund for Agricultural Technology), the University of Florida’s Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (UF/IFAS), and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) joined forces with universities, national agricultural research institutes, private-sector representatives, and farmers’ organizations from across the Western Hemisphere to strengthen coordinated scientific responses to these threats.
During the opening session, FONTAGRO’s President, Mr. Jorge Ganoza Roncal, IICA Director General, Mr. Muhammad Ibrahim, and UF Senior Vice President for Agriculture and Natural Resources, Dr. J. Scott Angle, emphasized the urgency of reinforcing coordination and synergies among research institutes, national animal and plant health authorities, and private-sector actors to generate short-, medium-, and long-term solutions. “Through FONTAGRO, we unite scientists and partners across countries to co-finance research and align investments, so knowledge benefits the entire region,” said Dr. Eugenia Saini, FONTAGRO’s Executive Secretary.
In close collaboration with IICA and strategic U.S. partners, FONTAGRO is advancing strategic R&D investments that mobilize shared financing and align public–private resources to accelerate innovation across the Americas. The Board of Directors has reserved funding for two new regional initiatives targeting New World Screwworm and Citrus Greening, with forthcoming calls designed to support multi-country research and technology development consortia that include U.S. universities, national research institutes, and private-sector partners. These coordinated investments aim to generate practical, scalable solutions while strengthening hemispheric scientific cooperation and long-term agricultural resilience.
Key Takeaways – New World Screwworm (NWS) workshop
Key Takeaways – Regional Control of Citrus Greening workshop
FONTAGRO is a strategic regional co-financing mechanism that promotes innovation in the agri-food sector across Latin America, the Caribbean, and Spain. Established in 1998 by 15 member countries, it has mobilized over USD 160 million to support 215 multi-country research and innovation projects, fostering collaboration among national research institutes, U.S. universities, governments, and private-sector partners to generate regional public goods and strengthen agricultural resilience.
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