Muhammad Ibrahim, elected director of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) from 2026 to 2030, has pledged to work with all regions of the continent and focus on agricultural inclusion. science, technology and innovation To address the challenges faced by countries and farmers.
ibrahim Guyanese national agronomist with 35 years of experience in international management.l was elected by a majority vote of the Inter-American Agriculture Ministers held in Brasilia within the framework of the Inter-American Agriculture Board (IABA), the highest governing body of IICA.
new general manager He is scheduled to take office on January 15th. and He will replace Argentina’s Manuel Otero. He led the hemispheric organization, founded in 1942 and headquartered in San José, Costa Rica, for eight years. A heritage highly valued by representatives of each countryeven the Argentine Secretary of Agriculture. Sergio Iraeta.
“feel I’m honored and grateful For being chosen to lead this great international organization. As General Director for all regions: North, South, Andes, Central America and the Caribbean, Focus on inclusion and diversity on the continent.”In his acceptance speech for the position, Mr. Ibrahim acknowledged Mr. Otero’s achievements and spoke highly of the qualities of the Uruguayan agronomist and engineer, the other candidate for the position in this election. fernando mattos.
He also expressed his gratitude to IABA, along with IICA, and the Government of Brazil, which is the host of the 2025 Inter-American Agriculture Ministers Conference.
The future Director General will be Complementary relationships between countries of the americas Heterogeneous productivity profilesI also believed that IICA faced major challenges.
Ibrahim is an agronomist with extensive experience in international management. 35 years dedicated to building networks that increase productivity and resilience in the Americas agricultural sector. Experienced in establishment Partnerships, mobilization of fundscollaborate with decision makers and establish key contacts in the Americas.
His training includes: Master’s Degree in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources from Costa Rica’s Center for Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education (CATIE) with a focus on animal nutrition, where he served as General Director. PhD in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences He obtained a specialization in Livestock and Animal Nutrition from Wageningen University in the Netherlands, one of the most prestigious universities in the world for agricultural sciences.
“The world is currently experiencing numerous risks and great uncertainties, Mr. Ibrahim explained in his speech. This has placed IICA in a critical situation.” intersection: you need to deal with Numerous challenges and requests for technical cooperation Member States in the context of lack of resources”.
We have identified the following assignment:
“IICA,” he said. in the right place Continue to work with partners and Member States as reference institutions to address these challenges. Transforming agriculture into a driver of prosperity of the countries of the Americas. ”
The elected Director-General proposes that IICA strengthen its technical capacity in science, technology and innovation and expand the use of science and technology. Latest tools and cutting edge technology. “We must build on the work that IICA has done to foster investments aimed at transforming agri-food systems and improving the economic and financial viability of agricultural enterprises, especially smallholder farmers,” he said.
Mr. Ibrahim has visited many countries on the continent in the past three months, where he has met with key stakeholders in the agricultural sector. It focused on the policies that are being implemented and the barriers that need to be overcome.
“Looking to the future,” he concluded. By working together, we can make a lasting impact on agriculture and agri-food systems. ”
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