Next Tuesday, 14 January at 6.30 p.m., Casa América will present in its Simón Bolívar room an event on IFAD’s work and investments in Latin America and the Caribbean to promote rural development, reduce poverty and combat hunger. The event will consist of a dialogue between Álvaro Lario (pictured), president of the International Fund for Agricultural Development, and Belén Delgado, specialized journalist of the EFE agency. Free admission until capacity is full.
Lario, the only Spanish person currently heading a UN agency, will analyse the challenges and opportunities for investment in agriculture, rural development and adaptation to climate change that contribute to improving the living conditions of rural communities, The most disadvantaged groups. The IFAD President will discuss how to encourage investment in the agricultural sector, strengthen collaboration with the private sector and prioritize sustainability, climate-resilient practices and environmental protection.
Álvaro Lario will present several IFAD success stories in Latin America and the Caribbean, where agriculture is a fundamental pillar of the economy. Despite being the world’s largest net food exporter and having a huge agricultural production capacity, millions of people in Latin America and the Caribbean suffer from food insecurity, In part because it is the most expensive region of the world to access adequate food. On the other hand, climate change is undermining the production capacity and sustainability of small-scale agrifood farms. Small farmers in rural areas face great challenges to adapt to the new and changing climate reality, while still playing their essential role in protecting natural resources and biodiversity.