FAO Seeks Examples of Bio-Inputs and Plastics That Are Transforming Agriculture in Latin America and the Caribbean

Every day, producer organizations, public institutions, companies, universities, research centers, and civil society organizations develop solutions that help transform agri-food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Many of these initiatives are already yielding concrete results. However, much of the knowledge gained remains confined to the regions where it originated and rarely inspires new solutions in other contexts.

With the aim of helping to bridge this gap, the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) launched “Experiences That Transform,” a regional call for proposals to identify established initiatives in bio-inputs and plastics that have demonstrable results and verifiable evidence.

The initiative aims to strengthen the regional evidence base on these two strategic areas for the sustainable transformation of agri-food systems. Drawing on the selected experiences, FAO will develop studies, knowledge products, technical exchanges, and other initiatives aimed at facilitating learning among countries, technical cooperation, and the scaling up of solutions with the potential to be adapted in different regions.

The region has ideal conditions for the development of the bioeconomy. Its biodiversity, extensive forests, water resources, and availability of biomass position it as a strategic player on the global stage.

In the bio-inputs sector, the global market reached USD 10.6 billion in 2021 and is projected to reach USD 18.5 billion by 2026. In Latin America and the Caribbean, this sector is growing at an annual rate of nearly 15%, although bio-inputs still account for less than 3% of the regional market, highlighting significant potential for their development and scaling up. Beyond this growth, the increasing interest in bio-inputs stems from the multiple environmental, productive, and economic benefits associated with their use, establishing them as a strategic tool for advancing toward more sustainable agri-food systems.

"In Latin America and the Caribbean, there are already innovative solutions that are generating concrete results. Our challenge is to identify those experiences whose results can be supported by sufficient evidence to transform their lessons into knowledge that can be leveraged by other regions. Strengthening the regional evidence base will allow us to guide better public policies, promote technical cooperation, and accelerate the sustainable transformation of agri-food systems,” said Ana Posas Guevara, Agriculture Officer at the FAO Regional Office for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The selected experiences will serve as the basis for case studies, technical publications, knowledge management products, exchanges between countries, and other FAO-led initiatives to strengthen regional learning.

The call for proposals is open to public agencies, producer organizations, cooperatives, companies, universities, research and rural extension centers, networks, innovation platforms, and other stakeholders involved in agri-food systems who are developing innovations that contribute to bio-inputs or the sustainable management of agricultural plastics.

In the area of bio-inputs, the call for proposals seeks initiatives related to promoting plant growth, biological control of pests and diseases, soil improvement or restoration, and other innovative solutions.

Regarding agricultural plastics, eligible projects may focus on preventing and reducing plastic use, replacing plastics with more sustainable alternatives, reuse, recycling or recovery, and the environmentally sound management of waste, including final disposal. Initiatives aimed at capacity building, technical assistance, and awareness-raising will also be considered.

The FAO estimated that at least 12.5 million metric tons of plastic were used in agricultural production worldwide in 2019.

Projects must have been implemented for at least two years, demonstrate tangible results, and provide verifiable evidence to support the impacts achieved.

Applications will be accepted from June 29 through August 31, 2026. The terms and conditions, applicant’s guide, and application forms—available in Spanish, English, French, and Portuguese—can be downloaded below.