IICA Director General reiterates commitment to Haiti’s agricultural sector

Port-au-Prince, Haiti, April, 2013 (IICA). Training in business development, the creation of employment, and agricultural research are set to be key components of the work program of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in Haiti.

Haiti’s Minister of Agriculture, Natural Resources and Rural Development (MARNDR), Thomas Jacques, asked the IICA Director General, Víctor M. Villalobos, for support in those areas during the latter’s visit to the country from April 11-13, during which Villalobos also held talks with the Minister of Tourism, Stephanie B. Villedrouin.

In light of the difficult situation in Haiti, Villalobos assured Minister Jacques that the Institute’s aim would be to carry out rapid, timely actions designed to achieve tangible results in bridging the gap between rural and urban communities. He also invited the Minister to take part in the official meetings that IICA will be holding in Mexico and Argentina, in June and September, respectively.

The Institute’s Executive Committee is to meet in Mexico, while the Meeting of Ministers of Agriculture of the Americas will be taking place in Argentina, to coincide with the sessions of the Inter-American Board of Agriculture, IICA’s highest governing body.

Minister Jacques thanked Villalobos for the invitation and for the support that IICA had provided to the ministry for over 40 years.

The Minister of Tourism requested the Institute’s support in developing a sustainable tourism program. Villalobos observed that that the final details were being put to a framework agreement under which such cooperation could be provided, and invited Minister Villedrouin to visit Costa Rica, to observe first hand that country’s efforts in the same field.

In Haiti, Víctor M. Villalobos held discussions with representatives of the Caribbean community (CARICOM), the Organization of American States (OAS), and the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).

The final stop on his official visit was to a pilot project on protected agriculture and greenhouses, which is being carried out in collaboration with the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI).

Villalobos assumed the position of Director General of IICA on January 15, 2010, three days after the earthquake in Haiti. His administration has promoted a number of initiatives as part of the efforts to rebuild the country and its agriculture, with the project Operación tractores solidarios being one of the most significant initiatives.

For more information, contact: 
alfredo.mena@iica.int