Graduated from CATIE assumes the Director General position of IICA

• Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim, former Director General of CATIE, will lead the hemispheric agricultural cooperation institution

Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim, graduate of the Graduate School of CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center) and former Director General of the institution, was officially appointed as Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), a sister institution and strategic ally of CATIE.

The election took place on November 4, 2025, during the XXIII Regular Meeting of the Inter-American Board of Agriculture (IABA), held in Brasília, Brazil. His designation represents a significant achievement not only for his outstanding professional career, but also for CATIE’s academic and scientific community, which celebrates the rise of one of its graduates to one of the most relevant positions in tropical agriculture in the Americas.

Following the appointment, Dr. Ibrahim received hundreds of congratulations, including those from Dr. Rubén Guevara, Director Emeritus of CATIE, as well as from the current Director General of CATIE, Dr. Luis Pocasangre.

“From CATIE, we extend our most sincere congratulations to Dr. Ibrahim. It fills us with pride that a graduate of our Graduate School assumes such a high international responsibility. We wish him great success in his administration, confident that his leadership will significantly contribute to strengthening sustainable and resilient agriculture in the region,” stated Dr. Pocasangre, on behalf of the entire institutional community.

The Director General position of IICA is widely recognized as one of the most influential roles in agricultural and rural development in the continent, positioning the new director as a key actor in the hemispheric agenda and as a strategic ally for regional efforts in sustainability, innovation and food security. Additionally, IICA acts as the specialized technical arm of the Organization of American States (OAS) on agricultural matters.

The Director General of CATIE, on behalf of the faculty, scientific, technical, administrative and support staff, is very pleased with the appointment of Dr. Ibrahim as Director General of IICA and wishes him a successful administration in service of agricultural development, innovation and hemispheric cooperation.