Taking Action on Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean

A regional workshop organized by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) in collaboration with the International Federation of Beekeepers’ Association (Apimondia) and generously supported by the Government of Germany.

This workshop was for Focal Points to primarily address the Commission’s National Focal Points for Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture, which formed a part of a series of four (4) that was held at the FAO Regional Office, in Santiago, Chile from 11th to 13th September. The workshops are expected to be held between September 2023 and March 2024 in Latin America and the Caribbean, Near East and North Africa, Africa and Asia.

The main objective of this workshop will be to focus on the implementation of the “Framework for Action on Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture”, endorsed by the Commission and the FAO Council in 2021, other related instruments, policy tools and countries’ experiences with the implementation.

According to The Antigua and Barbuda representative, Ms. MaudeVere Bradford, Ministry of Agriculture (MOA) Senior Research Officer, the workshop was very interesting, intensive and interactive. The working groups addressed the following:

· Setting the scene i.e., Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture – the global landscape

· The status of Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean

· Characterization, assessment and monitoring of Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture (GAPs and needs)

· Management of Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture

· Creating an institutional framework and enabling cooperation on Biodiversity and Agriculture

· Implementing the framework for action on Biodiversity for Food and Agriculture within the region.

“These sessions also afforded the Focal Points of the working groups the opportunity to discuss and develop outcomes for implementation”, Bradford stated.

The countries from this region in attendance were Antigua and Barbuda, Cuba, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Vincent and the Grenadines with Bradford as the rapporteur for the Caribbean working group.

     l- r: St. Vincent & the Grenadines, Cuba, Jamaica, Antigua & Barbuda, Haiti.