General Director Luis Pocasangre visits Honduras and reaffirms CATIE's commitment to supporting agri-food transformation

• Minister of Agriculture, Laura Elena Suazo, expressed her pride that a Honduran lead such an important institution as CATIE

CATIE's General Director, Luis Pocasangre, successfully concluded a high impact visit to Honduras, his native country, the first of the tours he will make to CATIE member countries.

During his stay from April 1st to 6th, strategic ties were strengthened, and new collaboration opportunities were explored in the Honduran agricultural sector in terms of research and training.

Honduran Pride

During the inauguration event of the Livestock Reproduction Center, attended by the President of Honduras, Xiomara Castro, Minister of Agriculture Laura Elena Suazo publicly expressed her pride that a Honduran lead such an important institution as CATIE and praised his leadership capacity in research.

At the inauguration of this Center, which aims to contribute to the improvement and accessibility of quality genetics, high-level decision-makers from the Government of Honduras attended, with whom the General Director was able to exchange work opportunities and strengthen his commitment to agriculture and environmental sustainability in Honduras.

Ileana Avalos (CATIE), Rafael Sarmietos (Deputy), Luis Pocasangre (CATIE), Carlos Zelaya (Deputy, President of Congress), Santiago Vélez (IICA), Vice Minister of Coffee, Carlos Murillo.

Encounter with Agriculture and Environment authorities

CATIE's General Director participated in productive meetings with authorities from the Government of Honduras. He met with Laura Elena Suazo, Minister of the Secretariat of Agriculture and Livestock (SAG), and high-level officials from her team, including the Deputy Minister of Livestock, Ángel Acosta, and the Deputy Minister of Agriculture, Roy Lazo.

During this meeting, crucial topics for the agricultural development of the country were discussed, while Minister Suazo expressed her support and admiration for CATIE's work in the region, from which they receive key contributions for the implementation of the State Policy for the Agri-food Sector of Honduras 2023-2043, an instrument that the government has developed and socialized with 53 productive sectors, international cooperation, academia, and economic and political sectors.

Another important meeting was held between the CATIE delegation and the Climate Change Directorate of the Secretariat of Natural Resources and Environment of Honduras (SERNA).

In it, government officials highlighted the need for accurate data on greenhouse gas emissions estimates from the agricultural sector in general and from livestock in particular in order to properly report the country's achievements within the framework of international commitments. In this regard, CATIE through the Livestock MAF Project becomes a strategic ally.  

Larisa Cordero (SERNA), Karla Mejía (CATIE), Luis Pocasangre (CATIE), Edwin García (CATIE), Ileana Avalos (CATIE), Kim Padilla (SERNA), Juan Carlos Flores (CATIE)

Interaction with IICA, FAO, and BCIE

During the week, the General Director met with Fátima Espinal, representative of FAO in Honduras. Both discussed leveraging FAO's potential in development issues and CATIE for its experience and reputation in research and teaching. CATIE and FAO have historically supported the initiative of the National Platform for Sustainable Livestock, in which they currently share the Technical Secretariat of this multi-actor articulation space of the country's livestock sector.

In addition, a key meeting of this tour was held with Dr. Santiago Vélez León, Representative of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), reiterating the interest of CATIE's General Director in strengthening ties between both institutions and taking advantage of the complementarities of the work that may arise for the benefit of the agricultural sector.

The meeting was attended by technical staff from IICA and CATIE, concluding with the ambition of having a joint IICA - CATIE work agenda in the coming months for Honduras that serves as an example for other countries where CATIE is present.

Furthermore, the General Director paid a courtesy visit to the Vice President of BCIE (Central American Bank for Economic Integration), Jaime Díaz, as well as to Country Representative Andrea Kafati and Sovereign Public Sector Manager, Manuel Torres, in which they followed up on the "Use of Nature-based Solutions to Increase Resilience to Extreme Climate Events in the Caribbean Region of Central America (REFOREST)" Project and discussed the possibility of support from the Bank for scholarships and financial assistance for students in CATIE's graduate programs.

Luis Pocasangre, General Director of CATIE, Jaime Díaz Vice President of BCIE

Alliances in research and higher education

The visit included interactions with high authorities of the National University of Agriculture (UNAG) and the Zamorano Pan-American Agricultural School (EAP Zamorano). In these meetings, the possibility of designing and offering dual-degree graduate programs between CATIE and these higher education institutions was explored, as well as the possibility of exchange between faculty-researchers and internships between students of their academic programs.

At UNAG, one of the alma maters of the General Director, he received a tribute from the Rector of this educational institution, Víctor Gonzáles.

Strengthening ties in CATIE's work within the framework of the Technical Office of Honduras and ongoing projects

The visit also included a meeting at the National Office of CATIE in Tegucigalpa, where Pocasangre highlighted the team's commitment to contributing to the transformation of the agri-food sector towards a more inclusive, productive, and sustainable one in Honduras.

Additionally, progress in projects driven by CATIE together with donors and strategic partners was evaluated, among which the projects stand out: "Transforming the Honduran Livestock Sector into a Low Carbon Economy (MAF-Livestock-Hn in Honduras); "Use of Nature-based Solutions to Increase Resilience to Extreme Climate Events in the Caribbean Region of Central America (REFOREST in Belize, Guatemala, Honduras); and "Scaling Climate Change Adaptation Solutions for Resilience and Migration Reduction in the Central American "Dry Corridor" (ESCALAR in El Salvador, Guatemala, and Honduras).

Juan Carlos Flores, MAF Livestock Coordinator; Ileana Ávalos, policy and governance expert, Karla Mejía, country coordinator of the REFOREST Project, Edwin García, Acting Representative of CATIE in Honduras, Luis Pocasangre, General Director of CATIE, Helen Quan, National Office Administrator, and Suyapa Siles, Administrative Officer of the MAF Livestock Project.

Specifically within the framework of the MAF Livestock HN Project, the General Director attended a meeting with national implementing institutions of this Project with the aim of reviewing progress and challenges within the framework of phase 1 of implementation, which is expected to conclude in the coming months, leading to a phase 2 characterized by greater implementation and presence in the field. This project aims to transform Honduras' livestock sector into one with low carbon emissions.

Above: Juan Carlos Flores (CATIE), Rigoberto (CAHLE), Héctor Cuestas (HEIFER), Luis Pocasangre (CATIE), José Chacón (FENAGH), Ileana Avalos (CATIE), Karla Mejía (CATIE), Javier Barahona (FENAGH), Celia Trejo (ZAMORANO), Edwin García (CATIE), Marielena Moncada (Zamorano)

Next Steps

Luis Pocasangre's visit to Honduras marked a crucial step in strengthening cooperation in agricultural matters and in the search for innovative solutions to the challenges facing the country. With mutual support and collaboration between institutions, a more prosperous and sustainable future for the Honduran agricultural sector is envisioned.