22/12/2025
The dialogue focused on water as a strategic common good to ensure food security and rural development.
Representatives from around twenty countries in Europe, Latin America, and the Caribbean took part on December 2 and 3 in Brasília (Brazil) in a meeting organized within the framework of the European program AL-INVEST Verde, in collaboration with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture.
Under the title “Water and agriculture in transition: towards sustainable and resilient management in the EU and LAC,” the 4th EU–LAC Agri-food Dialogue brought together around one hundred participants from the public and private sectors. They analyzed various aspects related to water management in agriculture, including challenges and prospects for efficient water use in the agri-food sector, investment instruments and experiences, technological solutions, and governance, among others.
During the different interventions, emphasis was placed on the need to promote social cohesion in rural areas alongside efficient irrigation, sustainable watershed management, soil protection, and climate-adapted agricultural planning.
The event was opened by Emilio Calvo, Director at FIAP of Component 2 of AL-INVEST Verde. He was followed by Diana Montero Melis, Deputy Head of the Unit for Regional Programs for Latin America and the Caribbean at the European Commission’s Directorate-General for International Partnerships (DG INTPA); Cristina Costa, Technical Coordinator of IICA in Brazil; Robert Steinlechner, Head of Cooperation of the Delegation of the European Union in Brazil; and Rose Ponde, General Coordinator for Instruments of the National Irrigation Policy of Brazil’s Ministry of Integration and Regional Development (MIDR).
In addition to the institutional event, participants visited the facilities of the Brazilian Agricultural Research Corporation (EMBRAPA Cerrados) to learn about the work carried out at three technical stations: the Water Management Reference Unit (URMA), a space dedicated to experimenting with water-use efficiency in perennial crops, and an area (technological showcase) featuring Crop–Livestock–Forest Integration Systems (ILPF) and soil management for water conservation.
