On the week of April 28 to May 2nd 2014, Humidtropics participated in the 59th Meeting of the Central American Cooperative Program for the Improvement of Crops and Animals (PCCMCA). The meeting was hosted by the Nicaraguan Institute for Agricultural Technology (INTA), a Humidtropics partner in the Nicanorte Action Site, and focused on the theme “Generating and Innovating Technologies for Food Security and Sovereignty”.
The event consisted of conferences, scientific tables, panels, brief courses, technical and scientific field visits, poster and stand shows, and work meetings with various organizations and research institutions from the Mesoamerican region. Participants included representatives from 21 countries: Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Costa Rica, Colombia, Cuba, Ecuador, El Salvador, United States, Spain, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Peru, Paraguay, Puerto Rico, Panama, Dominican Republic, Uruguay, and Nicaragua as host of the event.
The Humidtropics team used this opportunity to share the Program’s ongoing research work with national and international organizations, participating in presentations of the latest studies conducted in the country. Dr. Pablo Siles, a Humidtropics researcher, was awarded third place at the Agroecology Table for his presentation on the study “Ecoefficient Production Systems: Improved Agroforestry Systems in Subhumid Regions of Nicaragua”. The study was led by Dr. Rein van der Hoek, Manager for Humidtropics’ Central America and the Caribbean Flagship Project, in collaboration with Orlando Tellez, Glenda Bonilla, Antonio Avilés, Reynaldo Mendoza, MartÃn Mena, Aracely Castro, Idupulapati Rao, Jellin Pavon, and Diego Valbuena.
Dr. Pablo Siles presenting Humidtropics’ study on “Ecoefficient Production Systems: Improved Agroforestry Systems in Subhumid Regions of Nicaragua”.
“I’m very pleased to have been able to represent Humidtropics in this event,” said Dr. Siles. “Our participation was extremely relevant, aside from strengthening our relationship with national and international partners it also reflected the Program’s leadership regarding agricultural research in Central America and the Caribbean.”
Blog and photo by Shadi Azadegan, Communication Specialist for Central America and the Caribbean, Centro Internacional de Agricultura Tropical (CIAT).