The capital of Ecuador hosted the 5th EU-LAC Agri-Food Dialogue, The event was attended by specialists and representatives of the public and private sector from more than 20 countries of the European Union and Latin America and the Caribbean. The event was organised by AL-INVEST Verde in collaboration with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and focused on strengthening organic agriculture and its strategic role in the transition towards sustainable production models.
During the opening of the event, Emilio Calvo, Director of AL-INVEST Verde/Component 2, stressed the importance of strengthening cooperation between the two regions in order to move forward towards more sustainable, resilient and inclusive agri-food systems. For her part, the Ambassador of the European Union in Ecuador, Jekaterina Dorodnova, highlighted the EU's commitment to sustainability and the strengthening of strategic alliances with Latin America and the Caribbean in the area of agri-food.
Likewise, the Minister of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries of Ecuador, Juan Carlos Vega, underlined the potential of organic agriculture to dynamise the rural economies and position the country in high-value international markets.
The inauguration was also attended by Olivier Luyckx and Luis Carazo Jiménez, Heads of Unit at the European Commission; Francisco Tierraseca Galdón, Director of the Foundation for the Internationalisation of Public Administrations (FIAP), the implementing body of AL-INVEST Verde; and Lloyd Day, Deputy Director General of IICA.
Throughout the meeting, key issues were addressed, such as the regulatory frameworks The two regions presented the main issues of organic production, certification systems, traceability, access to international markets and opportunities for technical cooperation between the two regions. In addition, presentations were given on experiences and good practices that demonstrate the importance of organic agriculture in contributing to environmental sustainability, food security and inclusive economic development.
More sustainable and responsible production
The EU-LAC Agri-Food Dialogues“ series” seeks to facilitate structured exchanges between the two regions on regulatory frameworks, technical approaches, markets and public policies that contribute to the sustainable transition of agri-food systems. So far, AL-INVEST Verde, in collaboration with IICA, has promoted four meetings focused on sustainable livestock and water resource management in the agricultural sector, which have brought together more than 500 actors from both regions.
The 5th meeting focused on organic agriculture, an increasingly relevant production system to promote responsible production and consumption models. This initiative is aligned with the main European environmental and food policies, such as the European Green Pact, the Farm to Fork strategy and the EU Action Plan for the Development of Organic Production, which sets the target of reaching at least 25 % of European agricultural area under organic production by 2030.
In Latin America and the Caribbean, organic agriculture is also growing steadily. According to the World Organic Agriculture Report 2025 and data from the Inter-American Commission for Organic Agriculture, the region has more than 10 million hectares dedicated to organic production and more than 250,000 producers linked to this system.
The trade link between the two regions is significant. The European market accounts for more than 37 % of organic agri-food exports from Latin America and the Caribbean, with outstanding products such as bananas, tropical fruits, coffee, cocoa, tea, spices, sugar, cereals and oilseeds. Overall, the region is positioned as the main supplier of organic products to the European Union, accounting for more than 40 % of its total import volume.
About AL-INVEST Verde
AL-INVEST Verde is a European Union (EU) programme whose main objective is to promote sustainable growth and job creation in Latin America by supporting the transition to a low-carbon, resource-efficient and more circular economy. Through Component 2, led by FIAP in consortium with IILA, the programme provides assistance for strengthening public policies and multi-stakeholder dialogues on sustainable agricultural and value chains, environmental and labour standards, as well as sustainable trade and economic policy and regulatory frameworks.
