GEORGETOWN, Guyana, CMC – The Guyana-based Caribbean Community (CARICO) Secretariat Tuesday announced the launch of a new initiative aimed at strengthening food security and empowering key stakeholders across member states.
It said that the “CARICOM Boost: Women and Youth in Agriculture” project is being supported by the New Zealand government, adding that a resilient agri-food system remains critical for the 15-member regional integration grouping as it continues to face increasing climate-related challenges.
It said that this strategic initiative is designed to enhance the capacity of women and youth in the agribusiness sector, while contributing to the region’s goal of reducing its food import bill by 25 per cent by 2025.
Programme manager for Agricultural and Agro-Industrial Development at the CARICOM Secretariat, Shaun Baugh, said the overarching goal is to improve livelihoods and expand employment opportunities.
“So, we will engage 188 youth and women from the region by teaching them agricultural best practices and management. Beneficiaries will participate in a series of capacity-building activities aimed at equipping them with skills in production and post-harvest management.”
The project will be implemented in Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Montserrat, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Suriname, with direct support provided to selected participants through training, equipment, and infrastructure development.
Key deliverables of the project include the construction of 47 shade houses to support controlled-environment agriculture; the provision of 15 solar-powered cold storage units; and the distribution of post-harvest and storage crates to enhance produce handling and preservation.
The capacity-building component of the initiative is being delivered in collaboration with regional and international partners, including the Trinidad-based Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO).
“The CARICOM Secretariat remains steadfast in its mission to foster inclusive growth and food and nutrition security through targeted interventions that empower the next generation of agricultural leaders,” said Baugh.
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