A Mexican delegation, made up of authorities from the Government of Jalisco, Mexico and the Agency for Food Safety and Quality (ASICA), arrived at the Ministry of Agriculture to carry out a series of activities that will be carried out within the framework of the Chile-Mexico Cooperation Fund.

The delegation was received by the Undersecretary of the portfolio, Ignacia Fernández, the Executive Secretary of ACHIPIA, Diego Varela and the National Director of ODEPA, Andrea García, who revealed the importance of the fund managed by the Chilean Agency for International Development Cooperation (AGCID) and the Mexican Agency for International Development Cooperation in Mexico (AMEXCID), which seeks to strengthen bilateral cooperation between both countries in key areas such as food safety, with a special focus on the empowerment of women farmers, beekeepers, artisanal fishermen and those who work in primary food processing.

During the meeting, key figures were revealed that support the relevance of this project: women make up 36% of all workers participating in agri-food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean, but despite their role being key to strengthening food security and the economic and social development of their communities, their effective participation in rural productive sectors remains a global challenge. Women tend to perform functions that are considered secondary and have worse working conditions than men.

In this context, Undersecretary Fernández indicated that the initiative that will be carried out jointly with Mexico, “offers a concrete response, providing tools and knowledge that improve the productive capacities of women and allow them to compete on equal terms in markets, both national and international. Chile and Mexico are taking a firm step towards promoting gender equality as a driver of development and I am proud that this project is an example of this.”

ACHIPIA's executive secretary, Diego Varela, explained that the mission of the Agency he leads is to "coordinate and lead the National Food Safety and Quality System, ensuring that each link in the production chain in our country meets the highest standards." He explained that the project will implement a food safety and quality assurance system in three regions of Chile: Tarapacá, Ñuble and La Araucanía. In Mexico, meanwhile, it will be carried out in the municipalities of La Huerta, Tepatitlán de Morelos, Sayula and El Grullo in the State of Jalisco. 

Specifically, through this mission - which will be in Chile until October 25 - an exchange of experiences and knowledge will be carried out to improve food safety standards for a total of 60 Chilean workers. In Mexico, the project will also benefit 60 women.

The Mexican mission that arrived at the Ministry of Agriculture was headed by the Mexican ambassador to Chile, Laura Moreno, the Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development of the Government of the State of Jalisco, Ana Lucía Camacho, the General Director of the Agency for Health and Food Safety (ASICA), Eduardo Ramírez, the Head of Planning at ASICA, Sonia Vizcarra, the Coordinator of the ASICA Traceability System, Julio César Rodríguez, and the Coordinator of Standardization and Regulation at ASICA, Alma Sofía Cortés. Representing the director of the Chilean Agency for International Development Cooperation (AGCID), the coordinator of Sectors of the Coordination Department of the National Cooperation System of AGCID, Iván Mertens, attended. He highlighted that the award of this project “has shown us that it is possible to advance in the incorporation of the gender approach in initiatives related to agriculture and rural development, strengthening the work of groups of women in Family Farming, adding also the effort to bring activities closer to regions of our country, allowing decentralization of actions and for cooperation to have a local, territorial reach.”

The Mexican mission includes a visit to the members of the National Food Control System (SNICA): the Ministry of Health, the Agricultural and Livestock Service (SAG) and Sernapesca. It will also visit the Institute for Agricultural Development (INDAP) and make a trip to the Araucanía region with the purpose of presenting the risk management tool in agri-food production.