The project "Support to the formulation of Appropriate Mitigation Actions in Central American Agriculture" presents the results of the Trinchera Field School.

Veraguas, Panama, March 17, 2021 -- The project "Support to the formulation of Appropriate Mitigation Actions in Central American Agriculture" of the Resilient Food Production sector of the EUROCLIMA+ Programme has presented the results of the Field Schools (ECAs) Trinchera and Veraguas, under the chairmanship of the Ambassador of the European Union in Panama and the IICA Representative in Panama. The use of a rainfed rice system reveals a remarkable increase in the harvest.

"Joining efforts to facilitate projects like this is so important for the European Union, because agriculture is not only one of the oldest productive sectors of humanity, it is also a key sector for its future, even more so in such difficult and uncertain times as these," said Chris Leo Clark Hoornaert-Ambassador of the European Union in Panama.

It is possible to produce, avoiding more greenhouse gas emissions, rationalising planting protocols, increasing production and productivity; this project provides evidence that reducing greenhouse gases and producing more food is feasible, as it is possible to continue producing in a cleaner way, with less fertiliser, fewer agrochemicals, less use of water, with fewer resources while provoking greater production," said Gerardo Escudero, IICA Representative.

The inauguration of the event to present these results was presided over by His Excellency Chris Leo Clark Hoornaert Ambassador of the European Union in Panama, Gerardo Escudero Columna-Representative of IICA in Panama, Rodrigo Luque-Head of the Agro-environmental Unit of the Ministry of Agricultural Development, Ernesto Camargo-Regional Director of the Ministry of Agricultural Development, and Osmán Gómez-Advisor of the Ministry of Government.

"The project "Support to the formulation of Appropriate Mitigation Actions in Central American Agriculture in the Resilient Food Production sector of the EUROCLIMA+ Programme is joining efforts with other countries in Central America" said Chris Leo Clark Hoornaert Ambassador of the European Union in Panama.

The success is based on having followed a decision-making system based on seven proposals that form part of the Climate Adapted Rainfed Rice Production System (PASAC) proposed by the project. This scheme includes a preliminary soil analysis for crop nutritional decisions, mechanised planting, fertilisation based on soil analysis, and monitoring and control of weeds, diseases, and insects. In addition, the system serves to test the use of rice varieties certified by the Institute for Agricultural Innovation of Panama (IDIAP).

Decision-making under this System, despite the adverse climatic conditions, was a very profitable and sustainable investment as a methodology for climate-adapted rainfed rice cultivation.

"The project "Support to the formulation of Appropriate Mitigation Actions in Central American Agriculture in the Resilient Food Production sector of the EUROCLIMA+ Programme is joining efforts with other countries in Central America" said Chris Leo Clark Hoornaert Ambassador of the European Union in Panama.

About the project "Support to the formulation of Appropriate Mitigation Actions in Central American Agriculture".

“Support to the formulation of Appropriate Mitigation Actions in Central American Agriculture” of the Resilient Food Production sector of the EUROCLIMA+ programme jointly implemented by GIZ and Expertise France with funding from the European Union.

The project aims to strengthen regional and national capacities to achieve public-private ownership and consensus in reaching mitigation targets in Panama (rice) and El Salvador (cattle), catalysing mitigation actions and cooperation among Central American countries towards low-carbon development as defined in the Sustainable Agriculture Strategy for Climate Adapted Agriculture (EASAC) and the Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs).

The project is implemented by the IICA office in El Salvador and Panama and co-executed by the Ministry of Agricultural Development (MIDA) in Panama and the Ministry of Agriculture (MAG) in El Salvador.

About IICA

IICA is the international organisation specialising in agriculture of the Inter-American System, whose mission is to stimulate, promote and support the efforts of its 34 Member States to achieve agricultural development and rural well-being through international technical cooperation of excellence.

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