From Latin American Dialogues to a Strategic Alliance: PLACA, CGIAR and the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT in Action for the Agricultural Future

A collaboration driving climate action in agriculture since 2015, aiming to transform agri-food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean

  • 2012

In 2012, the idea of creating a regional mechanism to promote the exchange of practices and foster collaboration in agriculture to adapt to and mitigate the effects of climate change in Latin America and the Caribbean began to take shape. With the support of the Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), the first steps were taken through negotiations and dialogues.

  • 2015

Years later, in 2015, the CGIAR Research Program on Climate Change, Agriculture and Food Security (CCAFS), led by the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT), now the Alliance Bioversity and CIAT, joined the effort by participating in the Latin American Dialogues on Agriculture and Climate Change. These discussions focused on key ideas to strengthen the countries' capacities to address the impacts of climate change on their agri-food systems.

  • 2019

PLACA was officially launched on December 5, 2019, during COP25 in Madrid, under the leadership of Chile and with the commitment of nine other countries: Argentina, Bahamas, Brazil, Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Uruguay. Since then, CGIAR and the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT scientists have contributed their technical expertise to PLACA’s various Thematic Working Groups, aiming to strengthen regional capacities in key areas such as climate services, sustainable livestock production systems, and Climate-Smart Agriculture (CSA).

  • 2023

El CGIAR y la Alianza Bioversity-CIAT, han respaldado diversas iniciativas lideradas por PLACA, incluyendo la participación como jueces expertos en concursos que promueven soluciones climáticas innovadoras y de bajo costo, como el concurso de 2023 «Soluciones Tecnológicas de Bajo Costo y/o de Origen Local» y el de 2024 «Soluciones de Bajo Costo para la Acción Climática en la Ganadería». Estas colaboraciones reflejan el compromiso del CGIAR y la Alianza Bioversity-CIAT, con el fortalecimiento de capacidades regionales y el impulso de acciones concretas frente al cambio climático en América Latina y el Caribe.

Beyond technical collaboration, PLACA, CGIAR, and the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT have joined forces to organize high-level events aimed at positioning climate action as a regional priority. These efforts have significantly increased the visibility of the issue and promoted cooperation among countries. In 2023, during the Latin America and Caribbean Climate Week, these organizations led a series of Climate Action webinars that highlighted the importance of scientific contributions and regional collaboration. The series featured over 20 panelists from various countries and attracted approximately 400 participants.

  • 2024

In 2024, this synergy continued with a series of four workshops on Local Technical Agroclimatic Committees (LTACs), organized by PLACA in collaboration with the Alliance Bioversity and CIAT and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). These workshops aimed to strengthen countries' capacities in inter institutional coordination, improve impact evaluation mechanisms, and adapt the implementation of LTACs to specific territorial contexts.

As a result, countries such as Costa Rica, El Salvador, and the Dominican Republic began dialogue, analysis, and planning processes to better understand the LTAC approach and explore its implementation in their national contexts. These sessions also fostered collaboration and exchange among countries, allowing those with prior experience to share lessons learned and best practices. A notable example was the exchange between Guatemala and El Salvador, in which Guatemalan representatives provided direct guidance based on their own experience to support El Salvador in designing its own LTACs.

“Our alliance with PLACA reflects a shared commitment to transforming the agri-food systems of Latin America and the Caribbean through science and innovation. At CGIAR and the Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT, we will continue to support countries with evidence and solutions tailored to their needs.” Deissy Martínez-Barón, Regional Climate Action Leader for Latin America and the Caribbean, Alliance of Bioversity and CIAT.
Abigail Alvarado, PLACA’s coordinator, affirms: “The cooperation between PLACA and CGIAR / Alliance Bioversity-CIAT reflects our commitment to evidence-based climate action, co-constructed with the Platform's 18 member countries and focused on the specific needs of the agri-food sector. From PLACA, with FAO’s support, we reaffirm our commitment to strengthening this strategic alliance with CGIAR and the Alliance Bioversity-CIAT, promoting technical capacities, facilitating interinstitutional exchange, and positioning PLACA as a key instrument to foster agricultural resilience in Latin America and the Caribbean.”.

With the continued commitment of PLACA, CGIAR, and the Alliance Bioversity-CIAT, the collaboration between these organizations is becoming a driving force for advancing climate action in agriculture across the region.

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