Andres Fernandez Acosta is the former General Manager of the Colombian Agribusiness Institute (ICA), where he implemented a modernization work for the entity, which is in charge of sanitary protection.

Fernandez Acosta is an Agribusiness Companies Administrator, graduated from La Salle University in Medellin, with an ample experience in both the public and private sectors.

As Manager to ICA he recently made a restructuring which enabled him to strengthening the technical activities that ICA implements in terms of agribusiness sanitation, including access to markets and technological advances for the Colombian diagnosis network. He managed to obtain the quality certificates under NTCGP 1000 and ISO 9001 standards. At the same time some studies were taken into effect to make Colombia being recognized as a foot and mouth disease free country, with vaccinations in 2009.

While he was an assistant to the former Minister he led regional programs as well as the structuring of relevant productive projects. He also coordinated the community councils held by the Government in dealing with agribusiness issues and promoted  the brigades of rural loans.

Likewise, he has worked with city mayors and governors to

Spanish version

regionally promote the agribusiness policies, while being liable for the management of promotional agribusiness fund.

Minister duties:

Decree 2478/99:

1.     Formulate polices for the development agribusiness, fishing and rural development sectors.

2.     Guide and direct the formulation of plans, programs and projects required by the development of the agribusiness, fishing and rural      development sector, and of the rural areas in the country, at large.

3.     Submit the plans and programs of the sector that are to be incorporated into the National Development Plan.

4.     Prepare and submit to the Congress of Colombia, pursuant to the legislative agenda of the Colombian government, the law projects in relation to the sector operations and duties.

5.     Define in coordination with the Ministries of Foreign Affairs, and Foreign Trade the dealings or international agreements of the agricultural sector.

6.     Create, organize, make and designate responsibilities to internal working teams, through a resolution, considering the internal structure, the needs of service and plans and programs laid by the Ministry, and designate the officer who shall act as the coordinator to each Group.

7.     Create, make and assign duties through a resolution to the assistance and coordination bodies as necessary to implement its functions.

8.     Direct and coordinate whatever is related to the disciplinary internal control

9.     All other duties provided by the Law and those which are to be implemented due to their nature or following a delegation from the President of the Republic.