The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the government of El Salvador will expand their cooperation to strengthen food security and better protect small farmers against drought and other effects of El Niño. Work is also being done to support livestock farming, improve the availability of seed and combat animal and plant diseases.
IICA Director-General Muhammad Ibrahim discussed these measures during a working visit to El Salvador with representatives of the government and several international organisations.
El Salvador is part of the Central American Dry Corridor, an area where water scarcity and limited natural resources hamper agriculture. Small-scale farmers dependent on family farms are particularly affected.
During the visit, discussions included the effects of drought on the production of staple crops and livestock farming. Water and animal feed shortages are putting pressure on farmers’ production and income.
More seed for bean production
Because of possible crop losses due to drought, El Salvador and Honduras want to increase the availability of bean seed. The Salvadoran government plans to encourage the production of high-quality seed so that farmers can more easily access suitable bean varieties.
Possibilities are also being explored to purchase fertilisers at competitive prices. Subsidies for animal feed and water pumps for irrigation and feed production were also discussed.
Ibrahim discussed this with El Salvador’s Deputy Minister of Agriculture and Livestock, Oscar Domínguez. According to Domínguez, IICA supports the country in the purchase of inputs and equipment, while the organisation provides technical advice to limit the effects of drought.
The support focuses mainly on family farms producing staple crops and on small-scale livestock farmers.
Projects worth more than 11 million dollars
IICA and its partners are carrying out several projects in El Salvador in the field of climate-resilient and low-emission livestock farming. Work is also being done to improve infrastructure and facilities for energy and drinking water at the National Agricultural School.
According to IICA, these initiatives now involve more than 11 million US dollars. The number of partners participating in the projects is growing.
The working visit also examined how the agricultural sector can benefit from the growth of tourism in El Salvador. According to the parties involved, better linking agriculture and tourism can create new markets and investment opportunities.
Attention to food safety
Ibrahim, together with IICA representative Erick Quirós, was received at the presidential office of El Salvador. There, he spoke with Miguel Kattan, Secretary of Trade and Investment, about, among other things, biotechnology and the modernisation of legislation on animal and plant health and food safety.
The talks also covered strengthening sanitary and phytosanitary measures. IICA is currently supporting inspections at the international airport, where products posing a risk are confiscated and destroyed.
The organisation is also helping establish a laboratory for quality control and research into pesticide residues in food products. Programmes are also under way to combat diseases in citrus crops.
Combating the screwworm
With representatives of the US Department of Agriculture, Ibrahim discussed plans to combat and eradicate the screwworm fly, also known as the New World screwworm. The parasite can cause serious injuries in livestock and therefore poses a threat to livestock farming.
Ibrahim also consulted with David Martínez, Executive Secretary of the Central American Agricultural Council, on systems to monitor the effects of El Niño.
Estimates for the possible import of maize, beans and rice were also discussed. These imports may become necessary if local production declines further due to extreme weather conditions.
Regional cooperation
Together with Lina Ajoy, Secretary-General of the Central American Integration System, Ibrahim examined the effects of El Niño on the production of staple crops, coffee and sugar cane in Central America and the Dominican Republic.
Both officials discussed better coordination between organisations providing financial support for emergency measures. Progress on projects for more sustainable water management in agriculture and livestock farming was also discussed.
The United Nations Development Programme was consulted on joint projects for rural development and training. The emphasis is on attracting young people to agriculture and making use of economic opportunities in rural areas.
During his visit, Ibrahim also held talks with World Vision and representatives of several banks, including the Development Bank of El Salvador, the Agricultural Development Bank and Banco LAFISE.
