The Ford Foundation and CIAT

A year later, the International Center for Tropical Agriculture (CIAT) was founded to strengthen the fight against poverty and hunger across Latin America and the Caribbean. Today, poverty and socio-political issues are compounded by global commodity price swings, dwindling natural resources, environmental degradation, climate change, and emerging pests and diseases. While the challenges for tropical agriculture have grown since CIAT first opened its doors in 1967, so have the opportunities to address them more effectively. Agricultural ecoefficiency is at the core of our mandate: an approach that promotes competitive and profitable food production and economic empowerment, while reducing our environmental footprint and preserving natural resources. In 1968, CIAT was operating with 10 staff and a budget of US$337,251 compared with today’s 1000 staff and budget of about $103 million. While much has changed over the years, there are many aspects that have remained constant – including the original principles proposed by Hardin and Roberts. CIAT and the Ford Foundation’s commitment to tackle poverty and hunger have not wavered. In harmony with the Foundation’s aims, CIAT works with a wide range of partners to develop technologies, methods, and knowledge that can bring sustainable agriculture within the reach of smallholder farmers, while boosting their income. During the Center’s inaugural events, CIAT’s first director general, Ulysses J. Grant, stated: “We cannot undertake this enormous and complex task by ourselves, nor should we attempt to do so.” At CIAT, we’re still convinced that development impact cannot result from the efforts of one organization working alone. The Center takes pride in robust and growing partnerships with other research organizations as well as donors, governments, civil society, and the private sector. We are grateful to the Ford Foundation for its generous and resolute support and look forward to strengthening our partnership to challenge inequality.