In October, the Alliance of Bioversity International and CIAT was recognized as an international organization by the Government of Panama. This milestone will promote the research, technology transfer, and sustainable development agenda in the country.
The formal recognition took place during the visit of Maya Rajasekharan, Managing Director for the Americas of CIAT, to Panama. Her visit agenda included a crucial meeting with the Minister of Agricultural Development (MIDA), Roberto Linares, the Senior Office Assistant of MIDA, José Aníbal Rincón, the Minister of the Presidency, Juan Carlos Orillac, and the Director of the Institute of Agricultural Marketing (IMA), Nilo Murillo.
During the meeting, the Alliance reaffirmed its commitment to work closely with partners from the public and private sectors, as well as to explore synergies and new areas of collaboration. It was also an opportunity for Christian Carrizo, FLAR consultant in Panama, to present the details of the agronomy of process program that is being successfully implemented with different actors in the Panamanian rice sector.
The agenda continued with key meetings with the former Minister of MIDA, Óscar Osorio, the National Secretary of Senacyt, Eduardo Ortega, and representatives of the law firm Itas Law, ensuring a solid foundation for future projects.
Maya Rajasekharan also included a visit to the office that FLAR and the Alliance share in Panama. Later, she toured the Agrosilos S.A. Rice Processing and Packaging Plant in Chepo, where she was able to learn about the automated processes that this mill encompasses, from the reception of the raw material to the dispatch of the finished product.
This formal recognition will allow the Alliance to expand collaboration with the Panamanian agricultural sector beyond rice, promoting innovation, food security, and the sustainability of its allies in the region.
