Private sector regional consultation provided key inputs for FAO’s agenda ahead of LARC 39

Representatives of the private sector from Latin America and the Caribbean participated in the Private Sector Regional Consultation, a dialogue space held as part of the preparatory process for the 39th Session of the FAO Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean (LARC 39). 

During the opening of the event, Pablo Rabczuk, Senior Programme Officer and Secretary of the Regional Conference, highlighted the central role of the private sector in agrifood systems. “Its influence on food production, processing, distribution and access is decisive for ensuring the right to adequate food in the region,” he said. 

Rabczuk also noted that, in recent years, FAO has strengthened its engagement with the private sector through formal agreements and the implementation of its Private Sector Engagement Strategy. “Over the past three years in the region, FAO has established 14 formal agreements with private entities, has 11 additional agreements currently under formalization, and maintains more than 100 active non-formal collaborations. These figures reflect expanding cooperation and a growing mutual interest in working together,” he added. 

In this context, the regional consultation enabled the collection of inputs, the identification of challenges and the formulation of recommendations from the private sector, as a key stakeholder in the region’s agrifood systems, contributing to the process of defining regional priorities. 

The agenda included a dialogue between FAO and private sector representatives, during which FAO officials presented the main results of the previous biennium and outlined the proposed regional priorities for the 2026–2027 period, which will be discussed by Member Countries during the Regional Conference. 

This was followed by a private sector coordination session focused on defining specific contributions, drafting a private sector statement, and identifying representatives who will participate on behalf of the sector during LARC 39. This session was participatory in nature and coordinated by private sector representatives themselves. 

Both sessions were held virtually and were open to the public upon prior registration, enabling the participation of individuals and organizations directly or indirectly linked to agrifood systems across Latin America and the Caribbean, from within the region and beyond. 

Through this consultation process, FAO reaffirmed its commitment to a participatory, inclusive and multisectoral approach, strengthening dialogue with diverse stakeholders and contributing to the collective development of solutions to advance more efficient, inclusive, resilient and sustainable agrifood systems in Latin America and the Caribbean. 

The FAO Regional Conference is the Organization’s main regional governance body, where the 33 Member Countries define the strategic directions guiding FAO’s work for the upcoming 2026–2027 biennium. LARC 39 will take place from 2 to 6 March 2026, in Brasilia, Brazil, and will be broadcast live through FAO Americas’ digital channels.