From March 12 to 14, 2026, in the Diocese of Encarnación (Itapúa), the Territorial Visit of Livelihoods and Food Security (MVSA) in Paraguay was carried out, a space for regional exchange that brought together representatives of Cáritas from Latin America and the Caribbean.

The initiative is part of the process promoted by Cáritas LAC to strengthen capacities, promote peer learning and deepen territorial work from a comprehensive ecology approach.

Exchange of experiences and public policies

The opening of the meeting was marked by a moment of prayer and words of welcome from Mons. Marcelo Benítez, President of the Cáritas Paraguay Social Pastoral, together with the Director, Lic. Ricardo González. During the first day, the teams from Argentina, Brazil, Chile and Colombia shared their experiences in agroecology, social and solidarity economy and impact on public policies.

Likewise, a space for exchange was developed with universities and local authorities; with the hope of converting agroecology and the social and solidarity economy into political and academic proposals, reaffirming that they are experiences that already exist in the Paraguayan territory as central axes of food security and sovereignty, specifically in five Dioceses, including the Diocese of Encarnación in the communities of San Pedro del Paraná and Nueva Alborada in the department of Itapúa.

The territory as a school of learning

The second day was dedicated to field visits, where the delegations visited specific experiences of family farming. In the district of San Pedro del Paraná and Nueva Alborada; Distributed in two groups, they visited the agroecological farms and the producers' fair, where the families shared their sustainable production practices, the diversified management of crops and animals, the exchange of seeds and the preservation of native species; Thus, they were also able to learn about community processes aimed at strengthening livelihoods, local organization and adaptation strategies in the face of vulnerability contexts. The second day closed with the collection of two Jesuit Reductions centers in the districts of Trinidad and Jesús, in the department of Itapúa

The third day was oriented towards the synthesis and collective projection of learning, allowing key contributions to be identified for the strengthening of capacities, territorial impact and knowledge management of the MVSA regional team. The meeting ended with a space for integration and a cultural tour of the City of Encarnación and a Central Mass in the Cathedral of the Most Holy Incarnation by Monsignor Francisco Pistilli with a homily impregnated by the experiences lived in the territory, during the meeting, around agroecology

We can conclude by reaffirming the following points based on the experiences lived:

• Regional Leadership: The existence of a process that transcends borders, where several Latin American countries position themselves as regional references in the generation of knowledge for sustainable development, around Agroecology and the social and solidarity Economy
• Dialogue of Knowledge: At the same table, academic research, political decision and the wisdom of peasant family farming, come together and discuss their challenges and the great hope placed in all the experiences that already exist in the territories
• Social Innovation: We saw agroecology not only as a technique, but as an engine of social and solidarity economy that builds real and sustainable alternatives for our communities.
• A Commitment to the Future: Within the framework of the Catholic Biennial, this event is a call for "territorial advocacy." It is the space for today's decision-makers and thinkers to draw up the roadmap for tomorrow's food security.

From an integral ecology perspective, the process reaffirms Cáritas' commitment to the dignity of the human being, the care of the Common Home, community organization and the construction of more fair, resilient and sustainable food systems in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Contribution by María Fe, Cáritas Paraguay communicator