Respected rural sociologist and gender specialist Dr Ana Touza has been appointed country representative for the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) in Jamaica, The Bahamas and Belize.

Touza officially began her assignment in Jamaica with the presentation of her credentials to
Minister of Foreign Affairs Kamina Johnson Smith on Wednesday (April 16)—marking the formal commencement of her diplomatic engagement in the country.

Touza brings more than two decades of experience in international development, with a strong track record in research, policy, and programme implementation across Latin America, Africa, and the Caribbean.

She succeeds Dr Crispim Moreira in the post.

During the meeting, Johnson Smith and Touza discussed advancing inclusive, climate-smart and tech-driven agriculture in Jamaica and the region, with a focus on youth, women, and innovation through methods like vertical farming and aquaculture.

Dr Touza will lead FAO’s work in collaborating with the Government of Jamaica and key stakeholders to support food security, sustainable agriculture and climate resilience for the island.

A national of Argentina, Dr Touza holds a PhD in Social Sciences from the Latin American Faculty of Social Sciences (FLACSO), a Master’s in Development from Erasmus University in The Netherlands, and a bachelor’s degree in political science from the Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, Argentina.

She has lectured at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels.

Her career spans work with the UNDP in Honduras and the World Food Programme (WFP) in Honduras, Mozambique, and Panama. At WFP, she coordinated a regional programme across nine countries to integrate small-scale farmers into agricultural value chains.

As a researcher, Dr Touza has explored the social exclusion of peasants, rural development gaps and the lived experiences of Maya, Miskito, and Lenca women across Central America.

She also led research for the Gender Economic Profile of Central America.

From 2019 to 2025, Dr. Touza served as FAO Representative in Cabo Verde, where she championed initiatives in sustainable agriculture, food systems and rural livelihoods.

Dr Touza’s appointment comes at a critical time as FAO continues to support national efforts across the Caribbean to build climate resilience, strengthen food security and advance inclusive rural development.