CAF, Rockefeller Foundation Partner to Advance School Meals and Opportunity Across Latin America and the Caribbean

The memorandum of understanding, signed during the 2026 Latin America and the Caribbean International Economic Forum in Panama, establishes a framework for collaboration in key areas such as food security, innovative financing, climate change, and regenerative agriculture

PANAMA CITY | January 29, 2026 — CAF – the Development Bank of Latin America and the Caribbean — and The Rockefeller Foundation, signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) aimed at strengthening and advancing sustainable development across the region. The agreement was formalized during the 2026 Latin America and the Caribbean International Economic Forum, an event that convened more than 4,300 business leaders, government officials, and representatives from multilateral organizations at the Panama City Convention Center.

The MoU was signed by Sergio Díaz-Granados, Executive President of CAF, and Lyana Latorre, Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean at The Rockefeller Foundation. The document establishes a general framework for collaboration that will enable both institutions to develop joint projects and coordinated actions over the next three years.

The memorandum outlines the exploration of initiatives in priority areas for regional development: food security, with a particular emphasis on strengthening school feeding programs; innovative financing mechanisms; the impacts of climate change on the environment, public health, and energy resources; as well as regenerative agriculture and the development of sustainable agribusiness models.

The collaboration between both organizations will be carried out through the exchange of information and knowledge; the development of joint projects; technical assistance, and other financing mechanisms; capacity‑building programs, and the creation of networks with shared interests.

FIRST JOINT INITIATIVE ON SCHOOL MEALS

As the first action under this alliance, CAF approved a non-reimbursable technical cooperation program to strengthen school feeding management processes in three countries in the region: Barbados, Colombia, and El Salvador. This 24‑month pilot project, co‑financed by The Rockefeller Foundation, is aligned with the Foundation’s Regenerative School Meals initiative, which recently committed USD 100 million to transform food production systems toward regenerative and agroecological models. The initiative aims to ensure that 100 million children worldwide receive sustainably produced meals within the next five years. The project includes the development of diagnostic assessments, the design of improvement proposals, and the implementation of country‑specific pilot interventions tailored to the needs and conditions of each nation.

“Our alliance with The Rockefeller Foundation reflects our conviction that the major challenges facing Latin America and the Caribbean require new forms of collaboration. Food security is a priority for CAF, and working alongside an institution with more than a century of leadership in philanthropic innovation will allow us to amplify the impact of our actions for the benefit of millions of children and families across the region,” said Sergio Díaz‑Granados, Executive President of CAF.

“This agreement reaffirms our commitment to Latin America and the Caribbean and demonstrates how philanthropic innovation can expand its reach through partnerships with social investment actors like CAF. Together, we can transform challenges into real development opportunities and deliver high‑impact solutions for communities across the region,” stated Elizabeth Yee, Executive Vice President of Programs at The Rockefeller Foundation.

“Through this collaboration, we aim to generate models that go beyond basic assistance to become engines of economic and social transformation. With the School Meals Project in El Salvador, Barbados, and Colombia, we are laying the groundwork for a system that strengthens school feeding programs and improves local food supply chains,” added Lyana Latorre, The Rockefeller Foundation’s Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean.

About The Rockefeller Foundation

Investing $30 billion over the last 113 years to promote the well-being of humanity, The Rockefeller Foundation is a pioneering philanthropy built on unlikely partnerships and innovative solutions that deliver measurable results for people in the United States and around the world. We leverage scientific breakthroughs, artificial intelligence, and new technologies to make big bets across energy, food, health, and finance, including through our public charity, RF Catalytic Capital (RFCC). The Foundation operates in Latin America and the Caribbean through its regional office in Bogotá, Colombia. For more information, sign up for our newsletter at www.rockefellerfoundation.org/subscribe and follow us on X @RockefellerFdn, Instagram @rockefellerfdn, YouTube @RockefellerFdn, and LinkedIn @the-rockefeller-foundation.

CAF – Latin America and the Caribbean International Economic Forum

The 2026 Latin America and the Caribbean International Economic Forum, organized by CAF in partnership with the Government of Panama, has established itself as a high‑level platform for dialogue among business leaders, government authorities, and key decision‑makers. The event seeks to analyze the region’s most pressing challenges and advance solutions that foster sustainable growth, inclusion, and competitiveness.