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CaFAN
Newsletter
Issue 10
IN THIS ISSUE
Hurricane Tomas
Editor’s Note devastates the
region’s Agricultures
Dear Readers, Hurricane Tomas has devastated
agricultural production in Saint Lucia,
The banana is one of the healthiest, delicious and unique tropical fruits; it is St. Vincent and the Grenadines and, to
high in potassium and low in salt, making it the perfect food for helping to a lesser extent, Barbados during
beat high blood pressure. It also helps to normalize the heart beat, sends October 29 and 31, 2010.
oxygen to the brain and regulates the body’s water-balance. Bananas are
According to reports and on site visits,
high in B vitamins that help to calm the nervous system making it another the northern areas of St. Vincent, and
ideal food in the fight against stress. the Southern areas of Saint Lucia have
been seriously damaged and have
Recently, the banana production in Saint Lucia and St. Vincent and the been declared disaster areas.
Grenadines has been completely destroyed by the passage of Hurricane
Tomas. Nonetheless, because of its significance to our region’s food and According to a report from Vincentia
Fatal, CaFAN focal point representative
nutrition security, plans have already been put in place to restart the in Saint Lucia, the area most affected
production of bananas, with assistance being given to farmers in St. Vincent was Fond St Jacques, which is one of
and the Grenadines. the largest farming communities with a
resident population of approximately
The sudden impact of natural disasters on our agriculture food production is 2,000 people, most of whom are
eye-opening enough for important measures to be put in place to protect our farmers and farm labourers. The
food supplies and also safeguard the income and livelihood of small various landslides completely washed
away the roads used by farmers to
farmers.
access their farms in the area call
Derache and farmers cannot get to
CARICOM, with the input of key agricultural stakeholders has developed a their produce in the ground.
Regional Food and Nutrition Security (RFNS) policy document which seeks
to address food insecurity within the region and provide a strategy for There were also lots of damages to
feeding the region in times of natural and other disasters that will impact greenhouses and many farmers lost
food availability. their crops by floods and the wind
battered all fields in the area. Banana
production was totally devastated and it
The Caribbean Farmers Network (CaFAN) has made significant was reported that an estimate of 90%
contributions into the final RFNS policy document and will continue to work of the agriculture sector was damaged
with all stakeholders to ensure that there is a constant and consistent supply in Saint Lucia.
of food, while at the same time, ensuring that support is provided to farmers
who are our main food producers. In St. Vincent, a team from ECTAD
visited the affected areas to see the
widespread devastation in the banana
industry and tree crops such as
breadfruit and vegetable production
that were severely affected. All hope is
not lost as root crop production is still
intact with minor damage to fields due
to landslides.
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AGRIVYBZ is the official Newsletter publication of the Caribbean Farmers Network (CaFAN)
The Brussels gathering acknowledged that adequate flow of information in ACP countries is inadequate and media
treatment of crucial issues such as food security, post-harvest technology and water management often tend to be
insufficient.
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AGRIVYBZ is the official Newsletter publication of the Caribbean Farmers Network (CaFAN)
The Fight Goes On Following the two day consultation a document “Analysis
of the State of Praedial Larceny in Member States of
CARICOM” was circulated which provided a background
On September 21 and 22, 2010, the Technical into praedial larceny within CARICOM countries and
Management Advisory Committee (TMAC) of the listed several recommendations that can be adapted in
‘Deficient and Uncoordinated Disaster Risk the fight and reduction of praedial larceny at the national
Management, including Praedial Larceny’ in the and regional levels.
Agriculture Sector for the Jagdeo Initiative collaborated
with the CARICOM Secretariat, FAO and CDEMA, and KEY RECOMMENDATIONS
held a regional stakeholders consultation to consider
draft recommendations and plan of action to reduce - In some countries, for example Suriname,
praedial larceny in member states of CARICOM. praedial larceny is strongly linked to food
insecurity. Therefore, specific focus should be
The consultation was represented by Minister Hilson made in strengthening food security
Baptiste, Chair of the TMAC/ASSC and lead Minister on
- Create Sensitization, Public Awareness and
the Jagdeo Initiative Constraint on Deficient and
Uncoordinated Disaster Risk Management Measures Information sharing programmes for praedial
including Praedial Larceny. larceny prevention
There are also practical realities that exist within the - Conduct an investigation into how praedial
Caribbean countries where farmers reside nearly one to larceny is integrated into the legitimate food
two hours away from their fields. We need to explore distribution chain
ways in which these farmers can become more attached
- Build farmer capacity for praedial larceny
to their lands, allowing them to maintain their own
prevention
surveillance and can maintain surveillance on
neighbours’ farms. To adequately address praedial
- Establish special units in the police force to
tackle praedial larceny
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AGRIVYBZ is the official Newsletter publication of the Caribbean Farmers Network (CaFAN)
On the other hand, it is amazing how multinational Therefore, we must open our eyes and see that our
agricultural companies have easy access to what development does not have to be foreign but from within.
subsistence farmers are presently fighting for in the Latin American, Asian and African countries have all felt
Caribbean (insurance, credit, technology, etc.). They the effects of genetically modified crops and of those
invade third world countries, producing large quantities empty promises from multinational companies. In the
with cheap labour, whose focus is not for internal Caribbean, we must hold strong with the limited
development but for the foreign market. Yet, these resources we have and first feed within our borders with
companies are continuously embraced by governments surplus turn over to the regional and extra regional
and authorities promising to provide more employment markets.
for the locals to improve living standards but they are
often left with the dismay of deserted-degraded lands, The transformation of Agribusiness in the Caribbean will
chaos, mass migration of farmers to the cities, famine, only succeed as we learn from our past and make
drought, and waves of violence just to name a few form changes in the present to encourage a more sustainable
of their exploitation. and profitable future.
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AGRIVYBZ is the official Newsletter publication of the Caribbean Farmers Network (CaFAN)
CAFAN contributes to
Regional Food & Nutrition
Security Policy
Voice of Jethro Greene, Chief Coordinator
of CaFAN
CaFAN is bent on making an indelible impact on the proposed
CARICOM/FAO Regional Food and Nutrition Security policy
(RFNS). According to Jethro Greene, CaFAN Coordinator, the
proposed RFNS is part of a larger agriculture sector policy that
CARICOM is designing with technical assistance from the
FAO. He said that CaFAN is bent on ensuring that the policy
reflects the true reality of the Caribbean, especially since the majority of people in the food production system are
small farmers.
Emphasis on local food government is serious, efforts would coming out of countries to be
Stressing that regional food security be made from school level to foster distributed around the region and
should be centred around appreciation for agriculture. transportation will fall in line. I’m
Caribbean produce – not imported very confident about that. I’m more
food – Greene said it is scientifically “We also want to ensure that we do worried about production planning
proven that a lot of locally produced not look at the farmer in an than transportation.”
food that go to waste in the impersonal manner as though he or
Caribbean are much healthier than she is a machine – a producer of CaFAN
a lot of the imported food. ”If we are food. Farmers must be looked at in Disclosing that CaFAN has over
to fight the non communicable a holistic way. The farmer is an 500,000 farmers throughout the
diseases,” he elaborated, “we have integral part of the society. The region with members in 13
to get our people to eat more of our farmer is a person with needs and Caribbean countries, Greene
healthy food rather than a lot of the has a family. Government has to be said:”The Caribbean is seen as one
imported processed junk food that serious in putting things like country. In order for us to get
they are using”. infrastructure in agricultural economies of scale we need to
communities and rural areas.” work together. The idea of St.
Land policy Vincent and the Grenadines,
The CaFAN leader is also Storage Jamaica, or even Guyana to work
contending that a regional food Pointing to the need for increased on their own is ridiculous when you
policy must also include a clear land storage facilities, Greene said there think of what is going on in
policy in which emphasis is placed are times of major gluts and scarcity international trade; people are
on the preservation of agricultural and this must be addressed by the moving in blocks.
land across the region. “We can’t governments within the region.
have food security when “So, we as a united farmers’
government is taking all the lands Transportation
CaFAN believes that intraregional organization is way ahead of the
and put to tourism … without any politicians – we are sensible, we’re
regard for food security. So we have transportation of produce is not a
major problem once the agricultural intelligent, we have vision. We
to have good land policy designed recognized that the world was
to protect agriculture.” sector is vibrant. According to
Greene, the private sector is ready moving in blocks six years ago, so
Stigma and willing to provide transportation we put ourselves in a block. Now,
Apart from meaningful land policies, once supplies are guaranteed. we are in a position in which we can
Greene feels that Caribbean offer – and the private sector is
governments need to have Greene said. “We need to deal with coming to us to supply them with
meaningful youth policies with the fundamentals of supply, commodities because we have
respect to agriculture. “We also marketing and supply chain membership in all CARICOM
have to look at the negative stigma systems that would ensure that countries.
attached to agriculture. If certain levels of supplies are Continues on page 14...
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AGRIVYBZ is the official Newsletter publication of the Caribbean Farmers Network (CaFAN)
EU officials
evaluate AAACP
Caribbean project
Two officials from the Coordinating
Unit of the EU AAACP have
expressed satisfaction with progress
made on attempts to bolster root crop
production amongst CaFAN
members participating in the EU ACP
AAACP Roots and Tubers program.
Ms. Laurence Guigou, Administrative Ms. Guigou and Mr. Gooding examine plants during farm visits;
and Financial Expert and Ms. NEFO farmer presented with certificate of participation
Mariane Tambwe, Communications
Expert, visited the Caribbean during ST. VINCENT AND THE GRENADINES
th
the Caribbean Week of Agriculture On Monday October 25 , Guigou and Tambwe journeyed to St. Vincent
and visited three of CaFAN members and the Grenadines and looked at progress being made on an FAO funded
involved in the EU AAACP in sweet potato pilot project in the North Leeward area of the island. They
Grenada, St. Vincent and the also visited the CARDI sweet potato experimental plot and several fields of
Grenadines and Jamaica. The dasheen.
purpose of their visit was to monitor
the effectiveness of the EU AACP Pointing to some degree of differences in competence amongst the
assistance to improve capacity Vincentian farmers that are affiliated to ECTAD and their counterparts from
amongst Caribbean farmers to NEFO, Tambwe said that ECTAD’s farmers membership is much larger
function viably and sustainably. compared to NEFO and that she and her colleague could discern that
cultivation techniques are more developed in St. Vincent than at NEFO.
GRENADA
The North East Farmers Enthused by what she saw, Guigou said ECTAD is receiving grant
Organisation (NEFO) of Grenada assistance from other agencies to continue capacity building amongst its
was the first to be visited, and this affiliate farmers.
took place on Wednesday October
20th. Accompanied by two of CaFAN
Secretariat Volunteers; Dave Rideout Ms. Guigou and
and Sadaf Kashfi, the team Mr. James
journeyed to several NEFO farms led Clarke (farmer)
by its president Mr. Evans Gooding. converse about
Farmers of NEFO were questioned sweet potato
by the two EU officials and they production
shared their experiences and lessons during visit to
learnt especially in the areas of ECTAD, St.
record keeping and new farming Vincent and the
techniques. Following the field visits, Grenadines.
NEFO held a small ceremony with its Photo taken on
members and the EU officials. This CARDI‘s
event provided an opportunity for experimental
Guigou and Tambwe to speak to a sweet potato
larger audience of NEFO farmers plot
who are involved in the project. The th
visit concluded with distributions of The two EU Officials departed from St. Vincent on Tuesday 26 to Jamaica
certificates for participation in the to learn of the experiences of the Christiana Potato Growers Cooperative
NEFO CaFAN FAO EU AAACP Association (CPGCA). They were also expected to meet a number of other
project. Jamaican stakeholders, local and international officials, including World
Bank personnel before returning to Brussels.
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AGRIVYBZ is the official Newsletter publication of the Caribbean Farmers Network (CaFAN)
JAMAICA
On October 28, 2010, the Christiana The EU representative, presenters, CPGCA and RADA personnel
Potato Growers Co-operative addressed the gathering about their organizations’ efforts to improve the
Association Ltd showed its wellbeing of the farmers and their communities. Further comments were
appreciation to FAO and all the made by farmers in the audience. The CPGCA chairman gave the closing
Group Secretaries that participated in remarks and brought the meeting to a close.
the “Training the Trainers” Seminars
by hosting a Farmers Day & FAO
Evaluation Exercise. Special guests
from the EU Coordinating Units;
Guigou and Tambwe, were present,
along with presenters and RADA
officials who participated in the
training exercises.
Priceless Expressions
Some members of NEFO receiving their certificates from Mr. Reginal Andall, CARDI Representative in
Grenada and main trainer under the NEFO CaFAN FAO EU AAACP Roots & Tubers Project
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AGRIVYBZ is the official Newsletter publication of the Caribbean Farmers Network (CaFAN)
CaFAN
contributes to
ECTAD signs LoA
ECTAD has once again received support from FAO for a number of
CTA’s 5 year development activities in St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG). The support
which falls under EU AAACP is aimed at strengthening ECTAD’s farmer base
Strategic Plan within rural communities for the production and marketing of root crops. As
part of the programme, ECTAD has targeted a minimum of 600 farmers for
Jethro Greene, Chief Coordinator (re)registering in SVG and has set up six field officers to work directly with
was the lone representative from these farmers and the area extension officers in the Ministry of Agriculture. It
the Caribbean region to attend will also hold a National Stakeholders Planning Meeting scheduled for
CTA Strategic Planning Workshop November 23-25, to appraise the farmers on all aspects of the project and
from October 5-7, 2010 in what would be required of them.
Wageningen, the Netherlands.
ECTAD will also use the opportunity to hold one day village meetings with
There were over fifty international farmers which it is hoped will result in the strengthening of a group or cluster.
experts including CTA staff in These meetings will be held in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture
attendance. Their role was to and other stakeholders such as CARDI and the Taiwanese Technical Mission.
assist in defining possible strategic
thrusts and priorities for the Centre
in the coming five years.
In an exclusive interview with Mr. CaFAN believes that CCAP must support measures that will enhance farming
Greene regarding his participation, as a business within the region in areas which include:
Greene said that CTA has a major 1. Improving agriculture productivity
strength that most of the other 2. Improving marketing and trade, starting within our own CARICOM
agencies do not have, “a unique borders
partnership approach”, which 3. Facilitate support for farmers to better deal with environmental
places emphasis on sharing and standards, health and safety issues regarding the food trade
dialogue, rather than talking down. 4. Facilitate focus on young farmers and promote agriculture right
This partnership approach is a through the school system from kindergarten to secondary
pillar which allows CTA to work 5. Support value addition with key focus on the use of local products
through partners like CaFAN and produced within the Caribbean region and support more research and
also through strategic partnerships development in value addition
like FAO – it can maximize its 6. Improving access to finance and financial investment for farmers
resources. 7. Improving access to land and security of land titles for farmers
8. Improving marketing infrastructure especially storage, packaging and
He also said that CTA’s staff safety issues
comprises both ACP and European 9. Support skills development in the agriculture field
which creates a balance in the 10. Facilitate risk mitigation training and technical support for farmers.
Institution. 11. Facilitate agriculture crop and livestock insurance
12. Facilitate the strengthening and build capacity building of farmers
Greene’s contributions were made organisation and clusters as a core strategy
from CTA national and regional 13. Empowerment of farmers and farmers organisations
partnership programmes through 14. Support focused research and development aimed at solving
which CaFAN and its Secretariat problems affecting farmers
have been able to benefit. 15. Support skills development in the agriculture field
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AGRIVYBZ is the official Newsletter publication of the Caribbean Farmers Network (CaFAN)
Abdou explained that COADY functions in seven month “cohorts” in which David Rideout
the participants undergo two weeks training before going off for a six
month stint in a foreign country followed by a two week de-briefing upon Sadaf Kashfi received her Bachelor of
their return to Canada. The YIP is presently being funded by the Commerce from McGill University,
Canadian International Development Agency. Canada in 2009. She has worked with
Agriculture Canada informing farmers
Abdou said, among other things, her visits will help COADY to better about government programs and
recruit associates as well as better provide new cohorts with information services relevant to their farms, as well
on their placement so that they are better able to contribute positively to as assessing their needs situation.
the respective organizations to which they are attached. She also said Sadaf welcomed the opportunity to
that she appreciates the opportunity to chat one on one with the work with ECTAD and hopes to engage
leadership of the partner organisation, since, according to her, it really in mutual learning with the farming
strengthens the partnership in a remarkable way. community in SVG and gain a better
understanding of international develop-
Impressed by what she saw in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, ment work.
particularly the manner of rudimentary agriculture on steep slopes, the
COADY official said: “These are really small business and it provides an
opportunity for young Canadians to engage in community development –
and through ECTAD and CaFAN – by getting information and trying to
assist in determining policies in communication and marketing.
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AGRIVYBZ is the official Newsletter publication of the Caribbean Farmers Network (CaFAN)
...continued from page 7 He said as farmers’ organizations the enabling environment and get out
become more active they can play a of direct lead involvement in some of
It’s on the basis of that we were able stronger role in their country and these activities and we will see
to interact with CARICOM – a ensure that government does not prosperity.”
regional organization – and, of dole out the country to foreigners.
course, if there is a regional “You protect your farmers.” Novel
organization like us that is active on Greene is also the Chairman of the
the ground producing, they would He said that if the policy is followed, Agriculture and Nutrition Committee
hear about us and engage us.” a number of things would fall in place of the St. Vincent and the
that would benefit farmers. “For Grenadines Chamber of Industry and
He explained that the Caribbean example, we have had a lot of ‘so Commerce. Noting that it is a novel
Farmers Network (CaFAN) is a called’ money come into the region committee in the organization,
network of small farmers. “We form for agriculture and governments have Greene said the committee has been
them in groups or clusters. No matter attempted to create organizations. I working well.
how small they are, we bring them don’t believe in that.
together to get economies of scale. “We are now doing a cook book
We get production. We get training. “I believe that government must based on our local food chain. We
We get technical assistance. It is create the policy framework and an are also promoting a fruit of the
primarily a small farmers’ enabling environment for farmers’ month and a fruit of the quarter
organization. The coordinating office organizations to have farmers based on our local fruits. We are also
is in St. Vincent with focal points in all working together in clusters, etc. promoting the nutritional value of the
the member countries of the network. They must not be controlled by fruits. Among other things, we have
Every member in a country whether it government. They must be facilitated started a very active programme to
is the Jamaica Agriculture Society, by government because the farming promote school gardens, starting with
the Christiana Potato Growers sector has been too politicized over the Intermediate High School, which
Association represents CaFAN in the last decade or so and, generally, is very good since we are focusing
their country” in a lot of countries, politicians are the school garden as a business –
afraid of farmers being independent. not just as farming. We are trying to
Expectations So, they keep them dependent.” promote farming as a business.”
“A policy is an over arching
framework” Greene explained. “A Prosperity He said he joined the Chamber to
regional policy for agriculture and “CaFAN’s role is to ensure that influence the organization to become
food security is necessary so that we farmers act like the private sector. more involved in agriculture and he is
have something that we could fall Governments need to create the happy to state that more business
back on. It is a guide and once it is enabling environment. Let the EU men are taking a more active interest
fashioned in a right way it could force assistance come directly to the in agriculture and purchasing more
governments in the region to change farmers’ groups. Let the private local food. “So, the Chamber is
their behavior and conform because sector investment come directly to moving in the right direction.”
they will be held accountable.” the farmers’ groups. Governments
must simply collect taxes and create
On October 28, 2010, CARICOM Secretariat held a one day meeting to review the draft report of the CSME Rural
Community Readiness Study which was conducted in Belize, Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Vincent and the
Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago and to agree on a strategy. The meeting took place in Guyana and
was represented by Jethro Greene.
On November 9 and 10, Mrs. Dhano Sookoo, CaFAN Director and President of the Agricultural Society of Trinidad
and Tobago (ASTT) represented CaFAN at a CARICOM Stakeholders workshop on “Developing an Action Plan for
Promotion of a Regional Agribusiness Sector and Targeted Commodity Enterprises” in Guyana.
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AGRIVYBZ is the official Newsletter publication of the Caribbean Farmers Network (CaFAN)
And with its local Caribbean food night, CaFAN became The CaFAN Directorate and Secretariat would like to
the most visible and recognizable organization at the encourage the membership to be vigilant and take
Caribbean Week of Activities. As a result of this, a charge of your/our own agriculture destiny.
number of organizations including CARICOM and our
traditional partners are reaching out to us in more
intensive fashion with offer of technical and financial CaFAN Upcoming Events
assistance.
Crop Production Planning Regional Workshop
The team approach of CaFAN and the consistency of its February 14-18 or 21-25, 2011
message and vision with heavy emphasis on leadership
succession by encouraging young people to participate Three day Grenada consultation meeting and
in the leadership is putting CaFAN in extremely high country visit – January 2011
profile – way above the rest.
Three day Jamaica consultation meeting and
There must be no compromise in continuing the process country visit – February 2011
of team leadership and sticking to our vision of ensuring
that our farmers own more of the value chain if not the Barbados Agro-fest 2011 – February 25-28, 2011
total value chain to the extent that he/she can have a
viably profitable business that he/she can pass on to
generations.
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AGRIVYBZ is the official Newsletter publication of the Caribbean Farmers Network (CaFAN)
Mr. Elroy Wilson is a final year student at the University Mr. Conroy Huggins is an Agronomist/Agricultural
of the West Indies (UWI) pursuing his Bachelor of Engineer within the Ministry of Education, St. Vincent
Science degree in Agribusiness Management and and the Grenadines where he has been teaching
Entrepreneurship at the St. Augustine Campus, Trinidad agriculture science at the Bishop’s College Kingstown
& Tobago. Elroy has worked in agriculture as a Banana (BCK) for two years. He is a former senior extension
Extension Officer at the St. Vincent Banana Growers officer at the St. Vincent Banana Growers Association.
Association. On November 3rd 2011, he received the He also served as president of the St. Vincent and the
‘Agribusiness Community Service’ award for most Grenadines Agriculture Forum for Youth (SVGAFY).
outstanding performance in the internship programme
which he completed at the Ministry of Agriculture He is presently the coordinator of the BCK Agriculture
Forestry and Fisheries, St. Vincent. Science club. Conroy desires to inspire and mobilize
youth involvement in agriculture in St. Vincent and the
Elroy fully commits himself to the field of agricultural and Grenadines and the wider Caribbean and he is pleased
rural development and supports CaFAN’s mandate to to be a part of the CaFAN team.
improve the livelihood of small farmers across the
region.
CONTACT US
Beachmont
P.O. Box 827, Kingstown,
St. Vincent and the Grenadines
ectadsvg@yahoo.com / cafancaribbean@gmail.com
www.caribbeanfarmers.org
Tel: (784) 453-1004 Fax: (784) 453-1239
This document has been produced with the financial assistance of the Technical Centre for Agricultural and
Rural cooperation (CTA). However, the views expressed herein can in no way be taken to reflect the official
16of CTA.
opinion