Leaders trained at CATIE join forces to boost tropical agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean

• Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim (IICA) and Dr. Luis Pocasangre (CATIE) meet at COP30 and reaffirm their commitment to sustainability, education, and regional research.

In the context of COP30 in Belém, Brazil, the Director General of CATIE (Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center), Dr. Luis Pocasangre, held a meeting with Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim, Director General–elect of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), with the purpose of strengthening cooperation to promote tropical agriculture and food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean.

It is important to highlight that both leaders were trained at CATIE’s Graduate School. Likewise, Dr. Ibrahim was a CATIE student, researcher-professor, and Director General of CATIE. Similarly, Dr. Pocasangre was a student at CATIE, a researcher-professor, and is now the institution’s current Director General.

The commitment to strengthening tropical agriculture and agri-food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean is a shared objective of Dr. Ibrahim and Dr. Pocasangre. Their meeting during COP30 in Belém, Brazil, marks a significant step in articulating regional efforts to drive innovation, sustainability, and technical cooperation among key institutions for development.

In addition to their interest in strengthening education, both directors agreed on the importance of reinforcing applied scientific research, promoting studies on climate resilience, agroforestry systems, and sustainable governance, and continuing to generate knowledge that responds to the region’s current challenges. High-quality research constitutes a fundamental pillar for fostering innovative solutions that positively impact rural communities, governments, and productive sectors.

Finally, both leaders reiterated their commitment to strengthening CATIE’s Graduate School, recognized as a seedbed for ministers of agriculture and environment in the region. Moreover, a significant part of the academic staff who today lead training and research processes in universities in Latin America and the Caribbean—and also in institutions in the United States and the European Union—are graduates of this distinguished institution. This legacy reaffirms CATIE’s role as a regional benchmark in education, science, and leadership for sustainable development.