AGRICULTURE Minister Zulfikar Mustapha, who also serves as Chairman of the Special Ministerial Task Force advancing the CARICOM agri-food systems agenda, recently met with Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim, Guyana’s official candidate for the position of Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).

The courtesy call provided an opportunity for Dr. Ibrahim to engage with Minister Mustapha on regional agricultural priorities, with a focus on strengthening cooperation across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC).
During the meeting, Minister Mustapha reaffirmed the importance of IICA’s continued support in driving CARICOM’s agenda toward sustainable, resilient, and food-secure agri-food systems.

“IICA remains a critical partner in helping us build capacity, apply science and technology, and improve food systems across the region,” Minister Mustapha noted, emphasising the strategic alignment between the CARICOM vision and IICA’s technical cooperation work.

Dr. Ibrahim, who has previously served as Director General of the Tropical Agricultural Research and Higher Education Center (CATIE) and as IICA’s Director of Technical Cooperation, brings with him a wealth of experience and international credibility. He outlined his vision for the future of agriculture in the hemisphere, underscoring the importance of improving competitiveness, expanding global market access for LAC producers, and fostering resilience through sustainable practices.

He also committed to championing the One Health Approach, which integrates human, animal, and environmental health, an increasingly vital strategy in addressing climate change, food insecurity, and emerging diseases.
As the race for IICA’s top post gains momentum ahead of the election later this year, Guyana’s nomination of Dr. Ibrahim underscores the country’s growing leadership role in regional agricultural transformation.
His candidacy is widely seen as a strong move to reinforce technical collaboration and promote inclusive agricultural development across Latin America and the Caribbean.