Bogotá – From September 24 to 26, the Lazio region hosted the Italy–Latin America SME Forum on the agri-food supply chain, promoted by the IILA – Italian–Latin American International Organization, Regione Lazio, and ARSIAL – the Regional Agency for Agricultural Development and Innovation.

The event provided a key platform for dialogue between businesses and institutions from Lazio and Latin America, with the goal of strengthening entrepreneurial, technological, and institutional cooperation in some of the most strategic agricultural sectors for both regions: wine and olive tourism, floriculture, dairy, and fruit and vegetable production.

Over three days, Latin American delegations took part in technical visits to local companies, gaining insights into quality practices, product processing, and environmental sustainability. A highlight of the program was the B2B session, which generated more than 130 meetings and opened up concrete opportunities for collaboration between Lazio and Latin American enterprises.

The Secretary General of IILA, Antonella Cavallari, and the President of the Lazio Region, Francesco Rocca, emphasized the shared commitment to promoting economic growth through interregional dialogue and the enhancement of local supply chains, within a framework of increasingly concrete and structured international cooperation.

“This initiative stems from our close collaboration with the authorities of the Lazio Region and the trust placed in IILA by the Italian government,” Cavallari stated. “We remain committed to supporting innovative production models, internationalization processes, and knowledge exchange in areas that are strategic for both Italy and Latin America.”

The Forum brought together 60 public and private representatives from 11 Latin American countries, along with financial institutions, more than 40 companies from Lazio, and sector associations.