Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and New Growth Industries Rodwell Ferguson has returned to the country after attending meetings in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic.
Minister Ferguson attended the Ordinary Meeting of the Central American Agricultural Council (CAC), which consists of Agriculture Ministers of the countries of the Central American Integration System (SICA), who are advancing a regional agenda aimed at strengthening the resilience, sustainability, and competitiveness of the agricultural sector. The meetings were held on April 8 and 9, 2026.
The meeting reaffirmed the region’s commitment to building joint solutions to shared challenges through political dialogue and the coordination of concrete actions that directly impact rural areas. The Ministers analyzed the proposal for the creation of a Regional Agricultural Financing and Insurance System, aimed at expanding access to credit, reducing risks, and strengthening the sector’s resilience. They also presented the initiative for the sustainable transformation of coffee farming in Central America and the Dominican Republic, promoted with the support of the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean (CAF), which seeks to foster more climate-resilient, low-emission, and environmentally sustainable production systems.
The Council also addressed the main challenges facing the agri-food sector, including the impact of global factors such as international conflicts, climate variability—with events like the 2026-2027 El Niño phenomenon—and growing health and food safety threats, highlighting the importance of strengthening the conditions for production, trade, and food security in the region.
Within the framework of the Central American Integration System’s intersectoral approach, progress was also made on the intersectoral agenda between agriculture and the environment, as part of an effort to articulate regional priorities and promote sustainable, resilient agri-food systems in balance with ecosystems. Furthermore, the officials were briefed on the progress of the SICA One Health Strategy, which will be presented jointly with COMISCA and CCAD, consolidating a comprehensive approach to health, environment, and production.
As part of institutional strengthening, the Council presented its updated graphic identity, aligned with corporate communication trends and aimed at positioning the regional agricultural sector internationally.
In addition to the regular session, the Ministers also participated in the intersectoral meeting on Agriculture and Environment, as well as the tripartite meeting between the Health, Environment, and Agriculture sectors, strengthening regional coordination and a comprehensive approach to the challenges facing the region and the role of the agri-food sector.
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Minister of Agriculture, Food Security and New Growth Industries Rodwell Ferguson has returned to the country after attending meetings in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic. Minister Ferguson attended the Ordinary Meeting of the Central American Agricultural Council (CAC), which consists of Agriculture Ministers of the countries of the Central American Integration System (SICA), who are advancing
The post Minister of Agriculture attends SICA-CAC Meetings in Dominican Republic appeared first on Belize News and Opinion on www.breakingbelizenews.com.
