This edition of “The Outlook for Agriculture and Rural Development in the Americas,” covering 2015-2016, is divided into the following four chapters:

Chapter I: Macroeconomic Context: The author analyzes the evolution and outlook for financial and macroeconomic markets, which determine the conditions in which agriculture in the Americas will have to operate.

ICA has developed this book, Innovation to achieve competitive, sustainable and inclusive agriculture with the purpose of offering member countries, governments, farmers and stakeholders in the continent an overview of this central issue for the agricultural sector. The document explains the importance of agricultural innovation and the way in which IICA has addressed and developed, based on the guidelines defined by the Heads of State and the Ministers of Agriculture of the Americas, the actions included in the strategic plan and the medium-term plans.