Agriculture and rural development

The agricultural sector and rural areas reflect the heterogeneous structure of the region and the challenges of structural change. The agriculture sector’s share of GDP varies between countries from below 2% to around 20%, while extreme poverty rates range from below 1% to over 60%. The region must further diversify its rural economies, in agricultural as well as non-agricultural activities, and do so in a sustainable manner by promoting innovation with inclusion, especially of young people and women in rural areas.

Activities

5 May 2026 | Event | Meetings and technical symposiums

Virtual Expert Group Meeting on the Assessment of sargassum value chains in Caribbean Small Island Developing States

The Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), subregional headquarters for the Caribbean will convene an Expert Group Meeting t...

9 Jul 2025 | Event | Meetings and technical symposiums

Virtual Expert Group Meeting on Responding to Sargassum Influxes

An Expert Group Meeting to review a study titled “Responding to Sargassum Influxes through Integrative and Adaptive Natural Resources Management Appro...

10 Sep 2024 | Event | Meetings and technical symposiums

II Experts Meeting of the Community of Practice in Agricultural Statistics of Mexico, Central America and the Dominican Republic

ECLAC Mexico hosted the Second Experts Meeting of the Community of Practice in Agricultural Statistics on September 10th, 2024.

9 Sep 2021 | Event | Meetings and technical symposiums
Nature-based solutions for sustainable agriculture in the Republic of Korea

Promoting Sustainable Agriculture in the Republic of Korea: Policy Framework and illustrative cases for Latin America and the Caribbean

The webinar is part of the activities of the Cooperation Agreement between the United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean ...

News

29 Apr 2024 | Press Release

FAO, ECLAC, WFP and IICA: Failure to Eradicate Hunger and Malnutrition Costs More than the Cost of Solutions

According to a new special report by the agencies, the cost of inaction on hunger and food insecurity represents an average of 6.4% of the GDP of the ...

11 Dec 2023 | Briefing note

Presentation of the Study "Analysis of Agricultural Vulnerability to Climate Change in the SICA Region" for COP28

The Executive Secretary of the Central American Agricultural Council (SE-CAC) organized a parallel event for the presentation of the study entitled "A...

6 Oct 2023 | Press Release
Cover document ECLAC-FAO-IICA

ECLAC, FAO and IICA Call for Actions to Strengthen Regional Cooperation in Order to Promote Sustainable, Inclusive and Resilient Agrifood Systems in Latin America and the Caribbean

The recommendation is made in The Outlook for Agriculture and Rural Development in the Americas 2023-2024, a report prepared by the three institutions...

Video

1 Jul 2021 | Video

Taller Digitalización de la agricultura, mipymes y sistemas de innovación