New sustainable agri-food policies are urgent in Latin America, according to an analysis by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), which warns about the sustainability, nutrition, and food security challenges facing the region.
The study indicates that governments must adopt innovative approaches and long-term strategies to tackle issues like climate change, environmental degradation, and disruptions in the global food system.
To achieve a more sustainable agri-food system, the report highlights the importance of implementing public policies that are inclusive and cooperative, aligned with long-term sustainability goals and resilient governance.
It emphasizes the need to create strategies that integrate sustainability, social inclusion, and effective risk management, addressing problems arising from climatic, health phenomena, and threats like transboundary pests and diseases.
Latin America and the Caribbean require renewed public policies that consider the relationship between nutrition, health, and conservation of natural resources, as suggested by a recent report from the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).
Agri-food policies
The document, titled ‘The transition towards a new generation of public policies for agri-food systems‘, highlights the demand for innovative, coordinated policies oriented towards the provision of public goods, supporting sustainable and inclusive transformations.
According to the report, overcoming structural challenges such as low growth, high inequality, and ineffective governance requires policies that combine sustainability, inclusion, and strong governance, according to Joaquín Arias from the Observatory of Public Policies for Agri-food Systems OPSAa of the IICA.
The report urges incorporating a long-term perspective and consensus in policy design, balancing efficiency and risk management, including the growing exposure to health, climatic, and biological impacts.
Regarding the degradation of natural resources, the report advocates for strengthening science and technology, along with the development of regulations and incentives to promote sustainable practices.
It also recommends reinforcing regional cooperation and efforts in science, technology, and innovation, and redirecting traditional subsidies towards incentives that generate lasting results in agri-food development.
Currently, the global and regional context is characterized by geopolitical tensions, market uncertainty, changes in consumer preferences, technological acceleration, and environmental and social pressures, which have significantly transformed the role of agriculture.
The agricultural sector has adopted technologies that increased productivity, helping to reduce global hunger; however, new challenges such as overweight and obesity have emerged, which are being addressed through the promotion of healthy diets and food security.
The report was developed by the IICA together with the Bioversity-CIA Alliance, the World Bank, the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), the CAF-Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean, the Economic Commission for Latin America (ECLAC), and the International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
The document suggests strengthening scientific, technological, and regulatory frameworks, promoting sustainable practices, and redirecting traditional supports towards result-based incentives, to achieve a lasting impact on agri-food development.
Global trends —amid current geopolitical tensions, market uncertainty, changes in consumer preferences, and technological change— demand modernized agricultural policies to improve productivity, ensure food security, and address health challenges such as obesity and diet quality. More information at ECO AMÉRICA.
