First AgroALBA Expo aimed at strengthening regional food sovereignty held in Caracas

Edited from various ALBA-TCP reports

The First AgroALBA Expo 2025, took place on June 5 and 6 in Caracas, Venezuela.

Thursday, June 5 marked the launch of the Expo, a project aimed at strengthening food sovereignty among the member countries of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America – Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP), as well as other sister nations.

From La Carlota in Caracas, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil warmly welcomed the invited countries and said that Venezuela currently possesses significant capacities that make it possible to achieve rapid growth in agricultural, plant, and animal production, as well as infrastructure for poultry, dairy, and goat farming both domestically and beyond its borders.

“We have a vast wealth in the Caribbean and in each of ALBA’s allied countries, many have land and infrastructure capacities, others have the labor force to produce, each one has potential, and together we can supply the region. We are a market of nearly 60 million people who need us,” he stated.

Peasants and large social movements, those with deep knowledge of sowing and production, have been included in the Expo.

“We have extended invitations to countries beyond the Alliance, including those in Europe, Africa, and Eurasia, with a vision to transform our capacities and needs into a powerful tool for the liberation of Our America, we want this to serve as a model for new productive structures, and we are confident that this gathering will pave the way toward splendor, national sovereignty, and complementarity,” the Minister said.

Cooperation and complementarity are the cornerstones proposed by the President of Venezuela, Nicolás Maduro, as the concept for AgroALBA, according to the Executive Secretary of the regional bloc, Jorge Arreaza, who was also at the event's inauguration.

“These ideas, now becoming a reality, had already been circulating in the minds, projects, and plans of Commanders Hugo Chávez and Fidel Castro (…) We believe Agroalba is in good hands.”

Arreaza affirmed that the first steps led to the creation of ALBA Alimentos, and later, the proposal for Agroalba emerged with the aim of strengthening the region’s food sovereignty in light of the new global geopolitical landscape.

According to Arreaza, this program of the Alliance will enable member countries of the regional bloc to join efforts in food production and achieve productive independence.

Visions of Agroalba

The session What is Agroalba?, led by Venezuela’s Minister for Productive Agriculture and Lands, Julio León Heredia, marked the opening of the Expo in Caracas.

León Heredia emphasized that the origin of Agroalba lies in the value of integration promoted by the leaders of the regional bloc. “This is the key element to build a model of alliance and productive development, taking into account ALBA’s potential,” he added.

He stated that the Agroalba program is open to friendly countries, even those not part of the bloc, with the goal of achieving independence and food sovereignty. “We are at the perfect moment to reach this goal,” he noted.

Cooperation in the face of the climate crisis

What is ALBA Azul? was the second session, led by Venezuela’s Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Juan Carlos Loyo, who began by highlighting that, in the face of the climate crisis, the Bolivarian nation proposes gathering the entire network of ALBA-TCP scientists to design strategies for aquatic food production that meet the nutritional needs of the member countries.

ALBA Azul is an initiative to promote comprehensive fishing and encourage the export of seafood produced in the region.

He pointed out that the Caribbean Sea is classified as independent and has strategic significance for the sustainable use of maritime resources. It is the seventh largest sea in the world and is home to more than 12,000 species. ALBA Azul, therefore, is an initiative for joint development in fishing and aquaculture, he emphasized.

The third session of the Expo, titled Made in Venezuela, was led by the President of the Marca País Institute, Daniella Cabello. She recalled that ALBA was born as a response to neoliberalism, drawing strength from the struggle for the freedom and sovereignty of the peoples. “This is the same conviction of Marca País and Made in Venezuela,” she stated.

She said that Venezuela possesses all the strengths needed to ensure food production, in collaboration with the Bolivarian Alliance. She highlighted that the country has a wide variety of products grown on its land, with highly qualified producers committed to advancing Agroalba.

June 6: First Meeting of Ministers for Agriculture and Fisheries of ALBA-TCP was held in Caracas

Friday, the First Joint Meeting of Ministers for Agriculture and Fisheries of the Bolivarian Alliance for the Peoples of Our America–Peoples’ Trade Treaty (ALBA-TCP) was held as part of the Expo.

Jorge Arreaza, warmly welcomed the attendees from the member countries of the regional bloc, who are working on strengthening the program.

Juan Carlos Loyo, stressed that the tariff war (imposed by the United States) has impacted food supply chains within the framework of hyperglobalization, “this means that friendly nations must work together to provide food for our people, to ensure security for our people, allowing us to form a strong alliance of friends capable of confronting the global reordering that is currently underway.”

He noted that through the ALBA Azul (Blue ALBA) proposal, Venezuela is offering land and maritime areas for food production, including livestock and seafood. In this regard, he proposed holding a future virtual meeting to address these issues with technical teams and to discuss the programs being developed in each country.

The Vice Minister for Agriculture and Land of Venezuela, Tibisay León, reported that the ministry is currently reviewing all land available in Venezuela for the Agroalba initiative. “Once we have bilateral meetings, we will be able to specify which lands are available for you to come and begin working here,” she stated.

Additionally, Cuba’s Minister for Agriculture, Ydael Pérez, said that the blows of imperialism compel the region to work together to guarantee food for the people. “Agroalba offers special opportunities for Cuba, and we are grateful for this initiative. In Cuba, we aim to make progress in agricultural and food development for the region. We offer the willingness of Cuba and its farmers to demonstrate that a better world is possible,” he emphasized.

Saboto Caesar, Minister for Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry, and Labour of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, highlighted that Agroalba is essential to uniting productive efforts to ensure food security amid the challenges of climate change.

He stressed the importance of solidarity at this time. “We must understand the moment we are in—food will not always be available at a good price, and that is key. Today, we represent those who are not in this room, and we must be conscious of our duty to ensure nutritional and food security.”

The Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources, Cooperatives, Entrepreneurship, and the Creative Economy of Saint Kitts and Nevis affirmed that Agroalba is an excellent opportunity to strengthen agricultural production in the region and called for improvements in transportation to reduce costs.

Representing Dominica, the Minister of State in the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy, with specific responsibilities for Fisheries and the Blue Economy, Jullan Defoe, stated that agriculture is the backbone of the Caribbean nation’s economy. He asserted that Agroalba must serve as a platform for food production investment and for strengthening the region’s brand. “For Agroalba to fulfill its objectives, we must work collectively,” he added.

Similarly, Midalys Naranjo, Vice Minister of the Food Industry of Cuba, emphasized that in the face of global challenges such as climate change and the food crisis, unity within the bloc must guide the proposals of Agroalba and ALBA Azul. “Let us work together to face these challenges.”

From Grenada, Javon Williams, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Economic Development, Blue Economy, Planning, Agriculture and Lands, Forestry, Marine Affairs, and Cooperatives, confirmed his country’s participation in the Agroalba program.

Likewise, Randel Esnard, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Saint Lucia, stated that this meeting is a clear example of the solidarity and cooperation that define ALBA-TCP, and thus expressed his support for the Agroalba initiative. “We are here to strengthen agricultural and fisheries production, and we applaud the proposal to ensure food sovereignty,” he said.

According to Luz Adilia Luna, Vice-Rector of the National Agrarian University of Nicaragua, “ALBA member countries must move forward with sustainable food systems. For Nicaragua, it is essential to continue joining efforts to combat global hunger and ensure peace for our peoples.”

Ramiro Lizondo, Executive Director for Bolivia at the ALBA Bank, highlighted that import substitution has been a cornerstone of Bolivia’s economic development. In this regard, Bolivia supports Agroalba as a duty of governments to meet the basic needs of the most vulnerable populations. “Bolivia is aligned with the objectives of Agroalba, and we are pleased to work together to achieve them,” he added.

Meanwhile, Ika Fergus, Assistant Officer of the Ministry for Agriculture of Antigua and Barbuda, stated that within ALBA, “we have the tools to strengthen food sovereignty, promote sustainable agricultural practices, and ensure that our nations have access to nutritious food as a human right.”

Laura Suazo, Secretary of State for Aquaculture and Livestock of Honduras (an invited country of the Bolivarian Alliance), described the initiative as “spectacular.” “With Agroalba, you are telling us that when we work together, we are stronger,” she said, adding that it is a unique and innovative project.

The President of the ALBA Bank, Raúl Li Causi, affirmed that the institution fully embraces the challenge posed by Agroalba and ALBA Azul. “This is about jointly defending the food sovereignty of our peoples. We count on firm political will and on an integration that does not bow to colonial interests.”

Li Causi stated that the ALBA Bank is ready to finance structured projects that meet technical and environmental sustainability standards. He announced that letters of intent are already being signed with allied countries for active trust funds. Finally, he proposed the establishment of a permanent financial technical committee to accelerate the validation and financing processes.

Agreements

During the opening ceremony, Venezuelan Foreign Minister Yván Gil announced that several agreements had been signed to boost agri-food production in Venezuela.

“We are making efforts to develop complementary logistics. We have a responsibility to show the world our potential and our principles, not those dictated by the market, but those we need in order to grow, to build investment capacity, and to achieve sovereignty, freedom, and progress,” he declared.

The Expo concluded on Friday with the signing of various agreements in the areas of food and economic cooperation.

Below are the signed instruments:

1. Cooperation program between the People’s Power Ministry for Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Ministry for the Food Industry of the Republic of Cuba.

2. Work plan between the People’s Power Ministry for Productive Agriculture and Lands of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Ministry for Agriculture of the Republic of Cuba, aimed at implementing the Agroalba project.

3. Letter of intent between the People’s Power Ministry for Fisheries and Aquaculture of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy of the Commonwealth of Dominica.

4. Memorandum of understanding for strategic cooperation in various areas of mutual interest between the People’s Power Ministry for Productive Agriculture and Lands of the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela and the Ministry for Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy, with specific competencies in Fisheries and Blue Economy of the Commonwealth of Dominica.

During the opening ceremony, he also announced that several agreements had been signed to boost agri-food production in Venezuela.

“We are making efforts to develop complementary logistics. We have a responsibility to show the world our potential and our principles, not those dictated by the market, but those we need in order to grow, to build investment capacity, and to achieve sovereignty, freedom, and progress,” he declared.

Finally, he highlighted that this working session will mark the first step toward what is already shaping up to be a victorious and liberating alliance, focused on leveraging resources to provide food for the people.

In attendance at the opening were the Executive Secretary of the regional bloc, Jorge Arreaza; Venezuela’s Minister for Productive Agriculture and Lands, Julio León Heredia; Minister for Fisheries and Aquaculture, Juan Carlos Loyo; Minister for Industries and National Production, Alex Saab; and the President of Marca País, Daniela Cabello.

The First AgroALBA Expo 2025, taking place on June 5 and 6, will feature business roundtables, investors, and conferences.