The Dominican Republic will host IICA's Regional Agribusiness Hub for Central America and the Caribbean

The Ministry of Agriculture of the Dominican Republic and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) agreed to create a Regional Agribusiness Hub based in Santo Domingo, which will function as a platform for technical cooperation, training, and investment for the member countries of the Central American Integration System (SICA) and the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).

The agreement was announced following a working meeting between the Dominican Minister of Agriculture, Francisco Oliverio Espaillat Bencosme, and the Director General of the IICA, Muhammad Ibrahim. The meeting allowed for the definition of areas of collaboration aligned with the RD 2036 Goal, the Dominican government's long-term development plan, with an emphasis on transforming the livestock sector and institutional strengthening.

Among the prioritized areas of work are modernization and technological development of production, agricultural mechanization, technological innovation, agri-food trade, biosecurity, adaptation to climate change, and sustainable management of soil and water.

As a first concrete milestone, both institutions agreed to organize a high-level meeting in the Dominican Republic within the next three months, bringing together representatives from SICA and CARICOM countries for the official launch of the Hub and the presentation of the first projects and initiatives.

The initiative is aligned with regional priorities promoted by Presidents Luis Abinader (Dominican Republic) and Irfaan Ali (Guyana), focused on food security, climate resilience, and agricultural innovation.