Ten Countries from Latin America and the Caribbean Develop Joint Plans to Promote Biofortification
One hundred representatives from ten Latin American and Caribbean (LAC) countries converged on Colombia for the third annual meeting of HarvestPlus LAC from June 13-17. The event, first organized in 2015, convenes regional partner institutions of the program to share achievements and aspirations for biofortification in their countries.
Delegates represented the national research centers of Brazil, Bolivia, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Haiti, Honduras, Nicaragua, Panama, and Peru, as well as allied institutions including the World Food Program (WFP) and the International Potato Center (CIP). The meeting was hosted by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), and coordinated by HarvestPlus LAC director Marilia Nutti and CIAT research director Joe Tohme.
The agenda involved panels and workshops with specialists in diverse fields, including nutrition, crop breeding, marketing, and communication. Participants analyzed each of the biofortified crops that are part of the LAC program—rice, beans, maize, cassava, and sweet potato—and developed work plans to promote these crops and strengthen inter-institutional relations. Ultimately, a major outcome of the meeting is expected to be a biofortified roadmap for each country through 2018.