RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Ministers of Agriculture and senior officials from 33 countries of the Americas and the Caribbean met on Tuesday, July 28, at the Brazilian embassy in Rome, to stress the region’s role as guarantor of world food security, presenting their joint position in a document containing 16 key points in preparation for next September’s Food Systems Summit.
“We present this document representing the position of a food-producing region crucial to the world which has reached a consensus and assumes its responsibility for both agricultural production and sustainability,” said Paraguay’s Minister of Agriculture Santiago Bertoni.
Brazilian Minister Tereza Cristina emphasized that agriculture is part of the history and culture of the Americas, a continent where the rural sector is deeply rooted.
“We are the world’s leading producer of food and environmental services, so our region must be incorporated as part of the ongoing narrative at the Summit. It cannot be maintained that agriculture is responsible for climate change,” the minister said.
The 16-point document stresses the critical role of agriculture, places farmers as central to food production and affirms that agricultural activity is vital for eradicating poverty, promoting rural development and protecting the environment.
In addition, they stress that the transformation of global food systems must be balanced and take into account the capacity to increase food production and variety, health and safety, diversity and nutritional quality, as well as environmental, economic and social sustainability.
The region is particularly important for the Caribbean, an area dependent on food imports and frequently affected by natural disasters and climate change, such as Central America, also affected by food insecurity and natural disasters.
IICA Director General Manuel Otero emphasized on Tuesday that the region’s joint position aims to ensure that agricultural producers are duly represented in global discussion forums.
“These are challenging times and the 16 points reflect the spirit of unity of a region that wants to be a protagonist and not a witness to what lies ahead,” Otero said, reaffirming that agriculture is a strategic sector for the countries of the Americas.
Tuesday’s event was attended by sector Ministers from Brazil, Argentina, Paraguay, Chile, Guatemala, Honduras, Guyana, Ecuador, Uruguay, Panama, Trinidad and Tobago, Barbados and Jamaica, as well as secretaries, undersecretaries and senior officials from other countries in the hemisphere.
“The Americas are not spectators of others’ decisions; the hemisphere contributes to the solution of such serious problems as climate change and the need to produce more food for a growing population. We accept decisions made based on scientific evidence, but not other types of decisions that go against the interests of the region,” said Argentine Minister Luis Basterra.