Havana - The International Congress of Agricultural Sciences, Agrociencias 2017, began today at the Conferencen Center in this capital, with the participation of some 400 specialists from 20 countries, including Cuba.

The official opening of this event included the keynote speech 'Biotechnology in the 21rt Century, expectations and realities', by Mario Pablo Estrada, Agricultural Biotechnology director at the Havana-based Center of Genetic Engineering and Biotechnology.

The scientific secretary of the Congress, Miguel Perez, told Prensa Latina that the United States, New Zealand, France, Mexico, Spain, Greece, Romania, Nicaragua, Peru, Venezuela and the Republic of Korea, are among the countries represented.

About 260 Cuban experts are attending this congress, coming from all universities of the country related to the agricultural sector.

Also on the list are those coming from research centers and production organizations, the Cuban Association for Animal Production and the Scientific Veterinary Council, among others.

Organized by the'Fructuoso Rodriguez Perez' Agricultural University of Havana, in the western province of Mayabeque, the congress aims to be a favorable space for the scientific and academic community to exchange criteria and experiences on the development reached in the different fields of the agricultural sciences.

It will also be an opportunity to pay tribute to the historical leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, who has bet so much for the development of agriculture and livestock from the coherent action of science, technology and innovation, for the sustainable development from the country.

Agrociencias 2017 includes several simultaneous events: a workshop on crop modeling and other agricultural processes, the 11th Agricultural Engineering Conference (Agrin 2017) and the 11th International Scientific Seminar on Agriculture.