FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Initiative drives investment for sustainable livestock development in Latin America and the Caribbean
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01.09.2024
The Hand-in-Hand (HIH) Initiative of the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) is at the forefront of mobilizing targeted investments to advance sustainable livestock development across Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). Livestock sustains 65 percent of the region’s agricultural population, including 14 million small-scale producers.
This support for increasing investment was reaffirmed during the first Investment Forum for Sustainable Livestock Development, held on July 18 in Guatemala in the framework of the 17th Meeting of the Commission on Livestock Development for Latin America and the Caribbean (CODEGALAC).
FAO’s Chief Economist and Acting Regional Representative, Máximo Torero Cullen, emphasized that livestock is a strategic sector that contributes significantly to food security, rural livelihoods, and economic growth, while offering opportunities to reduce environmental impacts through innovation and investment.
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FAO’s Chief Economist and Acting Regional Representative, Máximo Torero Cullen speaking at the Investment Forum for Sustainable Livestock Development
“Through FAO’s Hand-in-Hand Initiative, we are proposing innovative development approaches, identifying territories with high productive potential but also high poverty levels, to promote coordinated investments between the public and private sectors, while ensuring sustainable production,” said Torero.
Livestock: a sector of opportunity and challenge
The livestock sector contributes USD 171 billion annually in LAC, representing 32 percent of the region's agricultural GDP, and provides a critical share of dietary intake – 54 percent of protein and 22 percent of calories. The region is a global leader in livestock production, representing 15 percent of global livestock output, especially in beef, poultry, and eggs.
However, the sector also faces mounting challenges, including:
- Extreme climate events
- Sanitary threats like avian influenza and screwworm
- Trade disruptions due to disease outbreaks
- New compliance demands such as the EU Regulation on Deforestation-Free Products (EUDR)
Unlocking finance for rural transformation
Between 2022 and 2024, FAO mobilized USD 793 million primarily through multilateral development banks and climate finance mechanisms. The Hand-in-Hand Initiative plays a central role in channeling these funds toward rural transformation, supporting:
- Public-private investment coordination
- Governance improvements
- Infrastructure for water, digital connectivity, and market access
FAO’s work, through HIH, ensures that livestock investments are inclusive, climate-smart, and aligned with national development priorities.
The Hand-in-Hand Initiative Investment Forum
At the heart of FAO’s HIH Initiative is the annual Hand-in-Hand Initiative Investment Forum, held each October at FAO in Rome. This high-level platform fosters collaboration, technical alignment, and innovative financing to accelerate agrifood systems transformation.
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Presentation of the Regional Initiative on the Amazonia at the Hand-in-Hand Investment Forum 2024
In 2024, the Forum showcased over USD 15 billion in agrifood investment opportunities worldwide, with Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC) presenting USD 2.1 billion in investment proposals focused on key territories such as the Amazon and the Central American Dry Corridor.
This year, eight countries and two regional initiatives from LAC will present approximately USD 2.2 billion in opportunities spanning cocoa, Amazonian fruits, coffee, bananas, irrigation infrastructure, aquaculture, sustainable livestock and more.
These investments prioritize:
- Job creation and income generation
- Climate resilience and emissions reduction
- Sustainable land and resource management
Leveraging tools like geospatial analysis, HIH helps countries target high-impact areas and align efforts across government institutions, private sector actors, and development banks.