FORAGRO Panamá 2005 Apr International Cooperation: USDA-Foreign Agricultural Service in Latin America and the Caribbean in Latin America and the Caribbean David E. Williams USDA - Foreign Agricultural Service

Who are we? USDA: United States Department of Agriculture FAS: Foreign Agricultural Service ICD: International Cooperation and Development program area RSED: Research and Scientific Exchanges Division

USDA Mission: Enhance the quality of life for the American people by supporting production of agriculture Ensuring food supply Caring for agricultural, forest, and range lands Supporting development of rural communities Providing opportunities for farm and rural residents Expanding global markets Working to reduce hunger in the U.S. and around the world

Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) Market promotion and development activities Export of U.S. agricultural commodities Food Security – international food assistance programs International technical assistance and training programs

International Cooperation and Development (ICD) Research and Scientific Exchanges Division (RSED) USDA is not a development organization Promote science-based approaches to both research and trade policies Promote programs with mutual benefits Promote closer articulation with foreign counterparts

ICD/RSED Programs Program areas: Sustainable Agriculture & Resource Management Science and Trade Food Security Short- and long-term research, training and technical assistance programs Emphasis on collaborative research, science policy, education, technology transfer and, especially, trade capacity building

Science and Technology Development Programs Scientific Cooperation and Research Program (SCRP) Norman E. Borlaug International Science and Technology Fellowship Program

Scientific Cooperation Research Program Supports long- and short-term international collaborative research and exchange activities 2004 SCRP Program activities in LAC: Argentina (2) Guatemala (1) Belize (1) Jamaica (1) Brazil (4) Mexico (4) Ecuador (1) Peru (1)

Norman E. Borlaug International Agricultural Science and Technology Fellowship Program Announced March 29, 2004 to honor Nobel laureate Norman E. Borlaug Short-term (6-8 weeks) training programs in U.S. or third country Collaborative program among USDA, USAID, US State Department, and the CGIAR Mentor visit to Fellows home country

Local Currency Programs PL-480 Food for Progress Ecuador :native agrobiodiversity cons. (INIAP) Peru :national PGR program (INIEA), agrotourism (CIMA) Bolivia :national Arachis PGR program (PROINPA) Guyana :national pgr program (NARI)

Regional Food Security Workshops and Small Grants Programs Central America – INCAP Regional Technical and Policy Meeting in Guatemala City (Dec. 3-5, 2002) Small Grants Program ( ) Caribbean – CFNI Regional Technical and Policy Meeting in Kingston, Jamaica (Nov , 2003) Small Grants Program (2005)

Farmer Biotech Outreach Farmer-to-Farmer Biotech Workshop held at Zamorano Univ, Honduras, Aug , 2004 In response to: USDAs Latin America Science & Technology Conf. APEC High Level Policy Dialog To share experiences on applications of GM crops, policies, consumer acceptance, problems Increase farmers involvement in technical and regulatory processes 46 participants from 17 LAC countries

PROCINORTE USDA hosts 2004 meeting in Washington, DC Susan Owens, Director of USDA/FAS Research and Scientific Exchanges Division is the US representative Active participation in 4 Thematic Task Forces Library and Information Resources NORGEN: Genetic Resources Network Tropical and Sub-Tropical Fruits Plant and Animal Health

CATIE: New Initiatives Central America Borlaug Fellows Program 10 Fellows from 7 countries in 2005, projected 2006 Henry A. Wallace Inter-American Conf. Series on Water, Agriculture and Food Security in Meso- America, at CATIE, Costa Rica (May 2-5, 2004) TEACH – international agricultural literacy Targeted collaborations and research projects

Fome Cero / Zero Hunger in Brazil Launched in 2003 by President Lula da Silva USDA-USAID providing technical assistance: Assessment team visited Brazil in Mar. 03 Hosted a group of Brazilian officials in Dec.04 to observe USDA food assistance programs Follow-up activity planned for June 2005

Future Prospects Science & Technology (incl. Biotech) to promote food security and alleviate hunger worldwide Trade Capacity Building Cochran Program - >1500 fellowships in LAC PL-480 local currency programs FAS Field Offices located throughout the region:

Gracias!