Regional Seminar. Bioinputs: Investment Opportunities to Promote the Development of Sustainable Agri-Food Systems in Latin America

Context

Bioinputs, understood as products of plant, animal or microbial origin capable of improving the productivity, quality and/or health of crops, are a fundamental component for the sustainable development of agrifood systems. Their incorporation into production systems has the potential to contribute to regenerating soil health, preserving agrobiodiversity, providing environmental services, increasing the resilience of agricultural production to the impacts of climate change, and maintaining or increasing agricultural productivity solving challenges that are not currently met through other technological alternatives.

Bioinputs also represent new opportunities for business and employment, for enhancing biodiversity through technological development capabilities that take advantage of the resources of each ecosystem, for reducing imports of inputs by the agrifood systems of the region, and for increasing the profit share of the value chains captured by the agricultural segment and rural areas.

The agrifood systems in Latin America and the Caribbean present diverse challenges, and investment in bioinputs can offer solutions of wide-ranging scope and impact. In this sense, bioinputs are a key element in the transition to sustainable agrifood systems that can feed a growing population and, at the same time, preserve biodiversity, the environment and soil and human health. By investing in bioinputs, it is possible to contribute to and implement priority strategic approaches for sustainable development at the global level, such as the Sustainable Development Goals[1] , the Nationally Determined Contributions, the targets of the Convention on Biological Diversity, and the One-Health principles and action plan.

Bioinputs at present

The use of bioinputs has experienced vertiginous growth in recent years, although it is still an emerging market. This growth has been seen not only in terms of volumes consumed, but also in terms of product diversity. This emerging nature requires public policies to generate an enabling environment for investment and public investment programs with a comprehensive approach are required to promote the development of local supply and reduce the risks and constraints faced by the adoption process.

Countries are beginning to integrate bioinputs into their medium and long-term strategies. But for these products to become a central part of the transition to sustainable agrifood systems, the articulation of scientific-technological, innovation, productive development and organizational strengthening policies is required, which consider the demands and needs of agricultural producers, but which also take into account the efforts required in the generation of knowledge and the development of products.

In this webinar, the Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean and the Center for Investment of FAO will present the study "Investment Opportunities to promote the development of sustainable agrifood systems in Latin America", which aims to contribute with specific guidelines and recommendations in response to the demands of governments, agricultural producers and companies, along with a call for action at the regional level in an area of investment opportunity with high potential for impact in the region to ensure more sustainable agrifood systems.

Target audience

• Representatives of FAO Country Offices
• National Office Teams
• Regional Initiatives Technical Teams of the Regional Office (RLC) and Sub-Regional Offices (SLM, SLS, SLC)

Preliminary agenda

1 Particularly SDG 12 (Ensure sustainable consumption and production patterns) and SDG 15 (Life of terrestrial ecosystems, which includes sustainable management of forests, combating desertification, halting and reversing land degradation, halting biodiversity loss), but also others such as SDG 2 (0 Hunger) and SDG 13 (Climate Action).