Page 18 - CGIAR AR 2023 - Printable Med Res

Silvopastoral livestock systems in Colombia's
southwestern Cauca Department.
Photo: Neil Palmer, CIAT

Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC)

2023 was an intense year of dialogues, engagements, and meetings with CGIAR regional partners to
improve coordination among key partners, including national and regional agricultural research

institutions, international organizations, and donors. The final aim was to advocate for establishing
a regional agenda to maximize Latin America and the Caribbean’s (LAC) agricultural and biodiversity
potential, contributing to global food security and nutrition, through sustainable, inclusive, and
equitable food systems, based on science and innovation.

Hand in hand with the LAC-based Centers, the year started with a powerful discussion with the
Interamerican Development Bank (IDB) on how to strengthen agrifood systems. The conversation
continued with my keynote before the Bank’s Board of Executive Directors. Together with the World
Bank and the Interamerican Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture (IICA), we co-convened a
landmark Regional Dialogue on Science, Technology, and Innovation in LAC’s Agrifood Systems. At
the World Food Prize, we called for a regional discussion with the United States Agency for
International Development (USAID).

At the national level, in July, we visited Embrapa in Brasilia and discussed ways to further join forces
to expand Brazil’s and CGIAR’s huge research achievements. In December, we held the first round
of CGIAR’s Listening Sessions for the region in Peru, with a highlight dialogue at the Nutrition
Research Institute (NRI).

Since the beginning of CGIAR’s history, genuine partnerships have been its main DNA feature, and
CGIAR’s LAC team is fully determined to follow that path.

CGIAR Annual Report 2023 18