May 4, 2005 – Washington, DC.On April 28, 2005 there was in Washington, DC, a Global Dialogue titled “The impact of the collaboration in the agricultural sector: uniting efforts on initiatives to increase the production of rice” in which there were presented various experiences around the production of rice in the Central American region.

The Dialogue had the participation of representatives from public organizations and experts in the sector in Ecuador, Honduras, the Dominican Republic, Nicaragua and Washington, DC, who have the opportunity to exchange experiences in the region, especially around the technical assistance of the projects from the International Fund for Cooperation and Development.

The Global Dialogue continued some of the topics dealt in December 2004 during another Global Dialogue on rice production, and it focused in the presentation of cases studies from Honduras and Nicaragua, as well as to respond to precise mechanisms through which local organizations can contribute to promote the regional and national development of rice production; the type of programs and management that should be implemented both in the local communities and at the national level to make them closer to the producer; and, finally, on the measures to take as a group to measure the success and following up of those programs.

The cases presented in Honduras and Nicaragua showed the importance to strengthen the alliances between the different stakeholders dealing with the production, distribution and commercialization of rice; the promotion of the use of certified seeds that increase the quality of rice and the productivity of the fields, as well as the creation of knowledge exchange mechanisms among the countries in the region at a technological level to improve the production and as a political level to strengthen the commercial position of the region and be able to compete with countries such as the United States.

In that sense, the Young Americas Business Trust will launch in June 2005 a virtual community to follow-up on the issues discussed in the Global Dialogue and promote the exchange of knowledge among the different countries of the region.

For more information on activities related to rural development in GDLN, please contact Bari Rabin (brabin@worldbank.org). For more information on activities from the Young Americas Business Trust, please contact Rafael Pinto (YBIZ2@oas.org).