— Says his leadership would strengthen agriculture across the Americas

FORMER Director General of Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA) and former senator of Barbados, Chelston Brathwaite, considered that Muhammad Ibrahim of Guyana is the best-qualified candidate to head the hemispheric organisation
“The election of Ibrahim would be very valuable not only for the Caribbean, but for the entire Americas. He has extensive experience in management and leadership in areas such as agricultural research, science and innovation, livestock systems, agribusiness and sustainable agriculture. He is very well qualified for the position and I am sure he would do a very positive job for the entire hemisphere,” said Brathwaite, who was Director General of IICA between 2002 and 2010.
The new Director General of IICA—who will succeed Argentina’s Manuel Otero—will be elected on November 4 in the Brazilian capital, Brasilia, by the ministers of agriculture of the Americas.
Ibrahim, who was nominated by the Government of Guyana and has the support of all the countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) as well as several others in the Americas, is a distinguished agronomist with more than 35 years of experience in international management dedicated to promoting productivity and resilience in the agricultural sector in the Americas.
He holds a master’s degree in Agricultural Sciences and Natural Resources with an emphasis on Animal Nutrition and a doctorate in Agricultural and Environmental Sciences with a specialisation in Livestock, the latter from Wageningen University in the Netherlands, one of the world’s leading institutions in agricultural research.
“Food security is a very important issue today for the countries of the Americas. We must place particular emphasis on food quality, because nutrition affects the health of our populations. It is also crucial to ensure not only the availability of food but also access to it for all. I am convinced that Muhammad Ibrahim can be the best leader to promote greater co-operation between countries on these issues,” said Brathwaite.
EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

Brathwaite, who will travel to Brasilia to support Ibrahim’s candidacy, emphasised that the world today is experiencing times of geopolitical change.
“We are seeing a new scenario around the world,” he said, “which means that relations between the countries of the Caribbean and Latin America, and between our nations and the rest of the world, will take on a different form in the next decade. I am convinced that Ibrahim will bring the experience and knowledge necessary to help us address that reality.”
Brathwaite referred to other challenges facing agriculture, such as population growth, more frequent extreme weather events, and greater consumer demands, and argued that these challenges require increased production, productivity, and sustainability in agriculture.
“We need to be able,” he said, “to create the right environment for a new agriculture that takes into account the new technologies available to increase production and attract greater investment. The agricultural sector is at a crossroads in meeting these demands. In the Caribbean, for example, we are looking for new sources of food.”
“I will go to Brazil confident that Muhammad Ibrahim will be elected to the position and will work to unite the hemisphere in joint efforts in favour of modern agriculture for everyone on the continent,” he concluded. (IICA)