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IICA
INTER-AMERICAN INSTITUTE for COOPERATION on AGRICULTURE
The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)
is the specialized agency for agriculture of the Inter – American system. It is an inter-governmental organization with full legal standing and has 34 member states (and 17 observers) responsible for
guiding, following up on, and evaluating the Institute’s
operations. IICA’s purpose is to encourage, promote and support the efforts of the Member States to achieve agricultural development and rural well being.
ICA is governed by the Inter-American Board of Agriculture (IABA), which is made up of
representatives of all IICA Member States. The IABA approves policy guidelines and the biennial Program Budget.
The Executive Committee is composed of
representatives of 12 Member States, who are elected every 2 years on the principle of partial rotation and equitable geographic distribution. It meets yearly to follow up on and evaluate the actions of the Institute.
The General Directorate is the Institute’s executive body. It is made up of the
technical and administrative units responsible for coordinating and executing Institute action, both in the IICA offices in the member countries and at Headquarters, in Costa Rica.
The Institute was founded in 1942. Its office in
Saint Lucia was opened on June 1, 1983, 18 months after depositing the instrument of ratification of the new Convention on IICA. Technical cooperation activities by IICA in Saint Lucia have been in the areas of plant and animal health, rural development, technology generation and transfer, supporting the development of fruit crops, and agricultural sector planning and were frequently carried in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture (MOA).
MPACT
June 1999 marks 16 years of IICA technical assistance to St.
Lucia. Reginald E. Pierre, the 1st Director for Dominica, Grenada and St. Lucia, opened the office. St. Lucia had begun a programme of agricultural diversifications, which was aimed at reducing the food imports and
enhance exports.
Strategic Areas
Policies and Trade
Improved the Planning and Implementation Process in the Agricultural Sector.
Supported the implementation of an Agricultural Census.
Production and Marketing Study of Selected Fruit Tree Crops in the Windward Islands.
Strengthened Marketing Systems in the Windward Islands.
Science Technology and Natural resources
Supported the Organization and Management of Technology Generation and Transfer.
Support for Agricultural Technological Development, Transfer and Utilization.
Facilitated Latin American/ Caribbean Linkages and Transfer of Technology for Agricultural Development
Supported the Development of Tropical Fruit Crops in the Caribbean.
Rural Development
Improvement of Technical Training Teams in Small-farmer Production and Marketing Projects.
Strengthened Farmers’ Organizations in the Windward Islands - Phase 1.
Strengthen Rural Organizations - Phase 11
Provide training for young people in beekeeping.
Agricultural Health and Food Safety
Increased the Plant Protection Skills in the Ministry of Agriculture.
Strengthened Plant Quarantine Capabilities for the Production and Marketing of Non-traditional Crops.
Surveyed and Detected Fruit flies.
Strengthened Pest Management and Quarantine Capabilities.
Monitoring and Control of Amblyomma tick.
Developed Protocols for inter-regional Trade
For more information on IICA visit their website at: www.agroinfo.org orwww.iica.ac.cr
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