IICA: Support to the Central American Agricultural Policy (PACA) and the complementary policy agendas

Main activities of RUTA’s Phase V supported by IICA • Central American Agricultural Policy • Strengthening of CAC’s institutional capacity • Study on DR-CAFTA’s complementary policy agendas • Strengthening the institutional framework of organic agriculture

The Institute has worked together with RUTA on technical processes and other topics of PACA, the Regional Agroenvironmental Strategy, DR-CAFTA’s complementary policy agendas and organic agriculture

The Interamerican Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) is a partner of RUTA since 1980, and the joint work program of Phase V has focused on the formulation of the Central American Agricultural Policy (PACA), the preparation of the Regional Agroenvironmental Strategy (ERA), the complementary policy agendas of DR-CAFTA and the promotion of organic agriculture.

IICA provided technical assistance on several strategic meetings that were part of the PACA formulation process. In fact, reaching a common agricultural policy will contribute to regional integration, which is one of the main priorities of the Institute in the region. RUTA and other partner agencies also share this perspective.

Other common areas of interest include rural poverty and food security, international trade, marketing and agribusinesses, sustainable agricultural production and natural resource management, and strengthening of rural institutions.

DR-CAFTA’s complementary policy agendas

Regarding trade liberalization, IICA has contributed to the publication of the study entitled “The complementary policy agendas of DR-CAFTA in Central America: Concepts and proposals”. The Latin American Trade Network, with support from RUTA, carried out this study and its results will be disseminated in the near future.

IICA has actively participated to the meeting held in Costa Rica on 2006 to discuss the effects of DR-CAFTA on agriculture and rural development in Central America. In addition, IICA and RUTA are working together to strengthen public and private institutions to foster organic agriculture.