The future of agriculture and agri-food systems in the Americas

1 September 2025. The future of agriculture and agri-food systems in the Americas / El futuro de la agricultura y los sistemas agroalimentarios de las Américas

The webinar was organized by IICA, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, in collaboration with FORAGRO, the Forum of the Americas for Agricultural Research and Technology Development.

The session was designed to reimagine regional agriculture as a vital component in addressing pressing global issues including:

• Food and energy security
• Soil regeneration
• Biodiversity conservation
• Climate change mitigation

The panel explored fundamental pillars that could:

• Support transformative narratives for policy-making and multisector cooperation
• Boost investments in research and sustainability
• Align agricultural practices toward a more sustainable and resilient future

Speakers

• Manuel Otero (Director General, IICA) — offered institutional context and highlighted the overarching vision.
• Jack Bobo (University of Nottingham) — Expert in  innovation or technology; possibly addressed future-oriented strategies.
• Walter Baethgen (Columbia University) — discussed climate, environmental science, or sustainable systems.
• Kip Tom (American First Policy Institute) —  brought perspectives on policy, innovation, or global networks.
• Marcelo Torres (Aapresid) — Represented agricultural practice, sustainable farming approaches, or regional engagement in agro-technology.

Related: FORAGRO Webinar Series 

August 27, 2025. Low productivity and efficiency in agri-food systems.

• Dr. Fernando García-Bastidas (Leader, Banana Breeding Program, KeyGene, Netherlands)
• Dr. Diana Jiménez (Director of Biotechnology, BETA Technológica, Spain)
• Juan Manuel Herrera (Coordinator, Production & Cropping Systems Technology Program, Agrosavia, Colombia)

September 10, 2025. Scarce integration of the bioeconomy and underutilization of biodiversity and biomass in agri-food systems.

This second session focused on bioeconomy integration and biodiversity use, with an international panel of experts from the UK, the Netherlands, and Germany.

• Dr. Rocio Diaz-Chavez - Senior Researcher, Imperial College London, United Kingdom.
• Dr. Ana Marcela Víquez-Zamora - Researcher, Wageningen Food & Biobased Research, Netherlands.
• Dr. Richard Orozco - Scientific Researcher, Leibniz Institute for Agricultural Engineering and Bioeconomy, Germany.