core sector communique

Latin American Leaders Urge Collaboration and Action to Ensure Food Security

• Global and regional leaders gather to discuss agriculture and food security at the World Economic Forum on Latin America in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, on 16-18 April 2012.
• The World Economic Forum's New Vision for Agriculture initiative today launched a Spanish-language report Putting the New Vision for Agriculture into Action: A transformation is happening on transforming agriculture to deliver economic growth, food security and environmental sustainability worldwide.
• Thirty-two global and local companies are working with the Mexican government in a partnership to initiate such a transformation, expanding sustainable growth and opportunity into the agriculture sector.

Puerto Vallarta, Mexico, 17 April 2012 – Latin America can play a key role in ensuring global food security, leaders said today at the World Economic Forum on Latin America, taking place in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. However, realizing this potential will require new approaches to ensure sustainability in the long term.

The region is among the top producers of key crops such as corn, soybeans, beef and poultry, generating over 14% of global food exports. It is home to nearly one-third of the land suitable for agricultural expansion. “Latin America has the greatest potential in growing more food in the future,” said Shenggen Fan, Director-General, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI), USA. “But environmental factors such as the availability of water and protection of biodiversity will pose a real challenge.”