REPORT ON THE WORK OF THE REPRESENTATIVE OF THE IABA TO THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF CATIE
San Jose, Costa Rica October 2012
IICA/CE/Doc.599(12) Original: Spanish 8–10 October 2012
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THIRTY-SECOND REGULAR MEETING OF THE EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE SAN JOSE, COSTA RICA, OCTOBER 8-10, 2012
REPORT FROM DOMINICA IN ITS CAPACITY AS REPRESENTATIVE OF THE IABA TO THE GOVERNING COUNCIL OF CATIE
Background and mandate
The IABA, via Resolution No. 461, entrusted Dominica with the task of representing the Board on the Governing Council of CATIE for the period 2011-2012.
The responsibilities of the IABA representative to the Governing Council of CATIE are as follows: (i) To represent the IABA at meetings of the Governing Council of CATIE; (ii) To follow up on the IICA/CATIE Joint Program of Action; (iii) To consult the Member States on matters relating to IICA and its assets and, in particular, on matters requiring a vote within the Council; and (iv) To present a report of activities each year to the Executive Committee and to the Director General of IICA.
The IICA/CATIE Joint Program of Action for 2011-2014 is in force and under way, as approved by the Executive Committee via Resolution No. 550 of July 13, 2010. The XIV Regular Meeting of the Governing Council of CATIE was held in
Turrialba, Costa Rica, on August 31, 2012.
Expresses appreciation to IICA and CATIE for making his participation possible at the Meeting of the Council.
What progress has been made so far in the IICA/CATIE Alliance?
Point out that at the present meeting of the Executive Committee, a progress report will be presented on the Joint Action Program. Highlight progress in:
- Public policies for rural development as well as technical support for rural area-based development.
- Programming of joint actions in distance education, climate change and joint actions in the Amazon and Caribbean regions.
- Joint actions in eight Member States to address specific requests. - Joint administration of the Orton Memorial Library.
Express satisfaction with the progress made in executing the Joint Program of Action; however, its scope for the Member States is still limited and should be expanded. Express appreciation for the positive attitude and the commitments of the Directors
General of IICA and CATIE to continue to work together, to widen the scope of the joint program and to develop mechanisms for it successful implementation.
Matters arising from the Governing Council of CATIE which require a vote within that body or which directly affect IICA and its assets
Indicate that at the Meeting of the Council, there was no need to resort to a vote to resolve matters, and that no issues were dealt with that directly involved IICA and its assets. However, the following must be underscored:
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- The importance that the Member States should give to the analysis of the proposed Strategic Plan of CATIE for the period 2013-2022, which is being drafted at the present time, and especially to policies and actions related to the joint efforts of IICA and CATIE on behalf of the Member States.
- Since requests for IICA to donate land to third parties have been received with some regularity, it is recommend that the Member States be informed in a timely manner in order to guarantee that IICA retain ownership of such assets. CORE MESSAGE
The success of the IICA-CATIE Alliance depends on the complementary nature of the capabilities of the two institutions, and on the support and facilities that the Member States grant them.
That a natural complementarity exists between the mandates and capabilities of the institutions that yet has yet to be tapped to the fullest.
That the joint activities should be intensified and expanded in order to benefit more countries and rural territories.
That IICA’s advantage lies in its broad experience and hemisphere-wide institutional framework for providing technical cooperation, and its close relationships with the Offices of the Ministers of Agriculture.
That CATIE’s real competitive advantage lies in education and research, areas that should be strengthened.
That the Member States play a critical role in the successful outcome of the IICA-CATIE Alliance. Therefore, they should make a commitment to:
- Providing the facilities and support that the two institutions need to act in the different countries and regions within a single framework of priorities.
- Ensuring that national institutions reach agreement on and support initiatives that require the combined resources of IICA and CATIE on issues of strategic importance.
Appropriate strategy and effective action on the part of both institutions on behalf of agriculture and the rural environment in the Member states.
The importance for the IABA, at its 2013 meeting to:
- Define the strategic goals with respect to joint action between IICA and CATIE and move towards greater action from the Alliance.
- Strengthen the role of the representative to the Governing Council of CATIE - Commit to channeling political support towards strengthening the alliance - Recognize that the technical and financial strengthening of IICA and CATIE
will enable greater and more effective cooperation to be provided to the Member States.
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That, in the Member States, the ministers and national authorities responsible for agriculture and rural development:
- Recognize that their support is essential for the strengthening of the IICA-CATIE Alliance
- Commit to facilitating the joint work of IICA-CATIE in their countries and regions, thereby eliminating the need for competition between these entities, and
- Promote real participation by the Alliance in externally funded projects. The Future:
That IICA and CATIE redouble the efforts of the Alliance as follows:
- Support the dialogue of the Ministers on matters of strategic importance to agriculture, so that joint activities dovetail more closely and are more effective.
- Focus the strategic Alliance on support for the development of capacities within the institutions of the countries, to ensure that, once joint activities are completed, national and regional entities are equipped to provide continuity and plan ahead.
- Develop mechanisms for joint action, for more effective cooperation.
- Document successful experiences with a view to replicating them in other countries or in other areas within the same country.
That CATIE give priority to meeting the needs of countries in the tropical regions of the Americas before considering extending its services and using its capabilities on other continents, especially actions implemented under the South-South initiative.
That, to strengthen the joint efforts, IICA assign higher priority to the regional projects with national components, especially in the Caribbean and Central America.
IICA and CATIE in the Caribbean
I should like to see IICA and CATIE acting together in the Caribbean to intensify the Alliance’s work in relation to the following priorities, to achieve sustainable agricultural development in the region:
- Strengthening of CARDI’s technical and management capabilities for generating and transferring technology.
- Support, especially for countries with a bigger agricultural frontier, for the development of agricultural and agroindustrial production, to meet the demand in the region from the population and the tourism sector.
- Enhancement of management capabilities in agribusinesses.
- Capacity development for the design and implementation of sustainable agriculture projects and, in particular, greenhouse production in the island nations.
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- Support with reform and modernization processes and the improvement of management in the institutional structures for agricultural and rural development.
- Assign places for professionals from the Caribbean in training activities that IICA and CATIE carry out together or individually.
Special matters
The Caribbean is one of the regions most affected by climate change. Therefore, IICA and CATIE, working together, should strengthen the support for governments in the region to reduce the impact on agriculture of extreme weather events that result in the loss of cropland due to flooding and the salinization of soils, given the negative effects on biodiversity, food production, and the living conditions of the rural population.
The cooperation should be aimed at the design of public policies and the generation and implementation of effective measures for joint action between Member States, to achieve adaptation to climate change, especially in coastal and flood-prone areas. Special support from the Alliance for Haiti, in particular in the areas of technological
