PROCISUR (Cooperative Program for Agri-food and Agroindustrial Technological Development of the Southern Cone of IICA - Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture) is willing to develop collaborations with the regional scientific community within the framework of a partnership agreement signed at the end of 2010 with Agropolis International.

This program associates several National Agricultural Research Institutes (NARIs) of Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Paraguay and Uruguay: INTA (Instituto Nacional de Tecnología Agropecuaria - Argentina); INIAF (Instituto Nacional de Innovación Agropecuaria y Forestal - Bolivia); EMBRAPA (Empresa Brasileira de Pesquisa Agropecuária - Brazil) ; INIA (Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias - Chile); DIA (Dirección de Investigación Agrícola - Paraguay) ; INIA (Instituto Nacional de Investigación Agropecuaria - Uruguay).

Within the framework of its Medium Term Plan (PMP 2011-2014), PROCISUR implements seven technological platforms in several areas:

• Sustainable use of natural resources and climate change,
• Integrated quality food systems,
• Water resources and irrigation technologies,
• Genetic resources,
• Family farming,
• Use of new technologies (advanced biotechnologies , nanotechnologies, precision farming, ICTs),
• Institutional innovations for development.
  

In this context, a visit of a PROCISUR delegation is planned from Feb 6 to 9, 2012. The delegation will include Emilio Ruz, PROCISUR Executive Secretary and the seven heads of the technological platforms.