BRIDGETOWN, Barbados, CMC – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Sub-regional Office for the Caribbean and the Governments of Dominica, Grenada, St. Lucia, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines are launching a regional cluster of projects on Promoting the Windward Islands Food Production and Trade Corridor through National and Regional Value Chain Development.
On Friday, the Ministers of Agriculture from these countries and other government representatives will join the FAO for an hour-long virtual launch, presentation, and discussion on the regional projects. The meetings will focus on plans under the project to build resilient and competitive value chains that can promote exports and reduce the importation of goods.
The regional projects aim to replace agri-food imports that have had a toll on Caribbean Community’s (CARICOM) economies by increasing the capacity for countries in the region to produce and export quality agricultural produce.
The steps undertaken under the project are foreseen to contribute to the CARICOM food-importation bill reduction by 25 percent by 2025 and other global and regional targets such as those under the 2030 Sustainable Development Agenda.
“There was a dire need in the region to build cohesion among governments and partners in our efforts to improve local agricultural production, enhance intra- and inter-regional trade and build more resilient agri-food systems that also promote the consumption of local produce by locals. The regional launch aims to catalyze this transformation,” said Dr. Renata Clarke, FAO’s Sub-regional Coordinator for the Caribbean.
She added that by making linkages with other regional initiatives geared towards reducing CARICOM’s import bill and increasing agricultural exports, the region could accelerate its recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic and be better positioned to withstand the impacts of the current global food crisis.
The projects have just begun implementation by assessing the value chains with the most significant potential for success in the global market.
Dasheen has so far been identified as a crop of good potential. FAO said it would continue its work with the countries to understand the challenges and opportunities for growing a dasheen industry that can consistently produce high-quality dasheen in an environmentally responsible and sustainable manner. The FAO Caribbean’s Value Chain Methodology, which has had success in other Caribbean countries over the years, is to be applied during the implementation of the projects and will also be a blueprint for building other industries in the region.
It is expected that the launched projects will also improve livelihood opportunities and increase the potential for value-added production while promoting better display, a better environment, better nutrition, and a better life for the countries’ people.
The projects fall within FAO’s Technical Cooperation Programme and are expected to run over the next two years.
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