CASTRIES, St. Lucia, Jul 11, CMC – The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) is throwing its support behind Guyanese born, Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim, for the post of Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) for the 2026–2030 term.
The election will take place during the 23rd regular meeting of the Inter-American Board of Agriculture (IABA) on November 4, this year in Brazil. The current Director General, Manuel Otero, is finishing his term.
The Guyana government in announcing the nomination of Ibrahim, President Irfaan Ali said Guyana “has entered a phase of accelerated growth and is also the new agricultural frontier of the Americas.
“This candidacy is from Guyana, but is also Caribbean and South American, because our country belongs to both regions. Moreover, it is an invitation to work together for the agricultural development of Guyana, the Caribbean, Central America, and the Americas in general,” he added.
A statement issued by the St. Lucia-based OECS Commission noted that the OECS Council of Ministers of Agriculture had pledged “its full and unequivocal endorsement” of Ibrahim, whom it described as “a distinguished Caribbean son whose roots, scholarship, and service are grounded in the region, but whose global contributions to agricultural innovation, sustainable rural development, and institutional leadership span over three decades”.
It said that Ibrahim is a technically accomplished agricultural scientist, educator, and strategist whose record of service in Latin America and the Caribbean speaks to his commitment to inclusive development, environmental stewardship, and food systems transformation.
The OECS said that Ibrahim’s exemplary leadership at Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza Centro Agronómico Tropical de Investigación y Enseñanza (CATIE) as director general from 2016–2023 and his current tenure as director of Technical Cooperation at IICA, since 2024 “have demonstrated his ability to lead complex institutions, forge strategic alliances, mobilize over US$250 million in development financing, and translate science into actionable, context-responsive solutions”.
The OECS said that at IICA, Dr. Ibrahim has played a pivotal role in advancing climate-smart agriculture, coordinating technical cooperation programmes, and representing the Institute at the highest levels, including at the G20 and UN Climate forums.
“His visionary leadership and deep understanding of the region’s realities and aspirations make him uniquely positioned to lead IICA at this critical juncture, as our hemisphere navigates the intersection of climate crisis, food insecurity, and rural transformation.
“His work has directly benefited Caribbean nations, including the OECS Member States, through capacity building, the promotion of resilient agricultural systems, and strategic collaboration with CARICOM institutions. Dr. Ibrahim is not only a man of action, but a man of vision — one who embodies the spirit of cooperative development that IICA was founded to serve.”
The OECS said it is urging all IICA member states “to support this outstanding candidate”.
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