On 23 January, Chelston Brathwaite, the Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), discussed and shared with his Cabinet the priorities set for this specialized agency for 2008.

The Director General said the staff should draw inspiration from the Institute’s technical achievements and the member countries’ positive attitude towards it. The personnel’s continued dedication and commitment would ensure that the organization continued to make good progress in 2008 and expand the application of the tools it had developed over the previous six years.

Brathwaite, a citizen of Barbados who has been in charge of IICA since 2002, cited the institution’s financial position as clear evidence of the countries’ satisfaction with the organization. Thanks to the States’ contributions and quota payments, the Institute was better placed financially than at any time in the last 21 years. The budget, which had remained frozen for 12 years, had even been increased slightly in 2007.

For 2008, the Administration has set seven major objectives:

1. Strengthen the Institute’s technical capabilities even more
2. Set up the new financial system (SAP) in the countries (it is already in operation at Headquarters, in Costa Rica)
3. Promote the renewal and updating of the staff’s knowledge by implementing the new policy on sabbaticals and training programs
4. Fine-tune the tools for supervising and providing follow-up to actions at the hemispheric, regional and national levels
5. Implement and expand the program for the development of leaders of agriculture in the hemisphere
6. Strengthen relations with strategic partners, especially with the IDB, FAO and CATIE
7. Prepare the plans for the next Regular Meeting of the Inter-American Board of Agriculture, due to be held in Jamaica in 2009, and the Institute’s contribution to the Fifth Summit of the Americas , scheduled for Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago , at the beginning of 2009.

Brathwaite urged his Cabinet - made up of the directors of the technical and administrative departments - to build on the Administration’s achievements in 2008. This Administration has focused on transparent and prudent financial management; technical cooperation geared to the needs of the countries; the creation of a modern, value-driven institution committed to accountability and a culture of excellence in the workplace; and the development of a new vision for agriculture and rural life in the Americas.

patricia.leon@iica.int