otes

p ol i ci es for

Special Report
16 November 2011

a g r ic u lt u r e
for p ro g res s
Caribbean Regional Agricultural Policy Network - growing as a vehicle and platform for networking on issues, initiatives and information sharing for agriculture, food and nutrition security in the Caribbean. CaRAPNs main focus is to: #1: Foster networking and collaboration among institutions and stake-holder groups in agriculture; #2: Build capacity for and support the policy dialogue, analysis and formulation process; #3: Generate and facilitate access to information and analysis to support evidence - based policy and planning

ART Highlights 10th CWA, Dominica October 2011 the F ood and N utri ti on ci rcle connecti ng the dots ART is a platform that...
(1) Brings together a diverse group of stakeholders. . . (2) in an open, unscripted and free-flowing dialogue on . . .

(3) important issues and initiatives in agriculture, food and nutrition to. . .

(4) identify good practices and explore possible ways forward. . .

(5) that could lead to genuine benefits for stakeholders.

Photos: Brent Theophille/CaRAPN

The Food and Nutrition Circle . . . Connecting the Dots Dear All:
On behalf of our partners, IICA and CTA, our collaborators in the ART/Policy Forum the ACM, FAO and CARICOM Secretariat, other strategic allies, partners in development (pid) and the rest of the Network,

for your open mind, full participation and contribution in ART, CaRAPNs preferred form of dialogue and networking. Your genuine willingness to engage, share experiences and enhance knowledge deeply enriched the dialogue, information sharing and Caribbean perspectives on important issues in food, nutrition and agricultural development. For our local participants, including the farmers, students, Dominica Food and Nutrition Council, staff of the Extension and Forestry Divisions of the Ministry of Agriculture, and all others, thanks you for facilitating us and sharing your time, experiences, ideas, information and genuine camaraderie with us. For the external participants, we know that you left Dominica recharged and with wonderful, green and some wet memories of the nature isle. We hope that the experience was in some way meaningful, both professionally and personally. Thanks to Lennox, Erle, Brent and Moses, you can all share those memories with us. Visit, look and reminisce on the following facebook locations:
Lennox: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=oa.10150348134222834&type=1 Erle: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.10150365501363566.372664.698048565&ty pe=1&l=efe5d3d6b1 CaRAPN: http://www.facebook.com/pages/CaRAPN/189382034445974?sk=wall

Thank You Merci

Continue the journey with us. Become a CaRAPN pid Diane and the team
This report seeks to highlight the main issues discussed and to acknowledge the contributions of all. CaRAPN is responsible for all errors and omissions.

I NTROduction
ART was hosted within the week-long events of the Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA). The 2011 CWA theme Caribbean Food and Nutrition Security in a Changing Climate the Nature Island Experience provided the backdrop for ART on the Food and nutrition circleconnecting the dots and a platform for promoting the Regional Food and Nutrition Security and Action Plan (RFNSP& AP). True to form and in its usual unconventional manner, ART tackled the issue of food and nutrition security (FNS) in the Caribbean through a mixed format of (a) traditional workshop (kept to an absolute minimum), (b) open forum Round Tables and (c) field experiences. Although a very topical issue in the region and around the world, there is still much misinformation, misunderstandings, misinterpretations about FNS and the interface with agriculture, industry, public health, education, services, the environment, and a number of other cultural, socio-economic and political-institutional dimensions of equitable and sustainable development. The ART thus sought to raise awareness of the intent and contents of the RFNSP & AP and to ground the policy into the realities and issues of producers and practitioners.

Merci tout moun! (Thanks everyone!) For keeping the dialogue open, frank and dynamic!

WELCOMING WORDS from our Sponsors & Collaborators

CaRAPNs principle supporter is the Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Cooperation (CTA) in partnership with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA). IICA representative and CaRAPN Coordinator, Diana Francis, welcomed the participants and briefly placed the ART in its historical context (details available in the ART Resource Brief). Director of the CTA, Mr. Michael Hailu, underscored the CTAs commitment to supporting the policy process in the Caribbean and in particular, issues related to food and nutrition which has been identified as a priority in the CTAs Strategic Plan 2011-2015. The Association of Caribbean Media workers (ACM), which collaborates to host ART, represented by Julius Gittens, welcomed participants, expressed satisfaction at being present as an equal partner and invited all to engage freely in the open dialogue, advising all resource persons to speak in simple language so that the message would be clear. Representatives of the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), collaborators in the Policy Forum, emphasised the importance of understanding the FNS issue in its entirety and in particular, the concept of the Right to Food, an inalienable human right.

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SEEing the BIG picture

Panoramic view of the village of Soufrire (the location of Field Visit #2 and Round Table #4) to Roseau in the distance, from the Southernmost tip of the Island, Scotts Head. (photo - Moses Mike)

A R T
The ART theme gave recognition to the fact that FNS is a complex issue with "no particular menu to deal with it'. Dealing with FNS also requires input from a wide crosssection of stakeholders at all levels. The 1/2 day Policy Forum was a new addition to the ART and its main purpose was to promote and enhance awareness that a regional policy does exist and to provide a backdrop for the national consultations that are to come towards the development of national FNS policy and Action Plans The important role of policy in establishing the framework for action cannot be understated. This set the context for a discussion on the RFNSP and Action Plan, the roles and actions of producers in policy formulation and implementation, situation with both external and domestic resources to finance policy implementation and issues related to utilisation and nutritional adequacy. Having adequate resources to finance and implement actions is as equally important as having a policy. The main sources of such financing does exist include donors, domestic savings and foreign direct investment. However, there is increasing competition for such resources, particularly donor resources, which placed more pressure on Caribbean countries to be more creative and strategic in how they go about mobilising resources for policy implementation. Policy implementation could be facilitated by emphasising a Nutrition Policy instead of a Food and Nutrition Policy. This issue, tabled at a previous ART in St. Lucia in July this year, resurfaced and opened the door for discussions on nutrition promotion campaigns. The opportunities to replace the common 'an apple a day' slogan with local foods, using internationally recognised Caribbean personalities, are hugely underutilised. The experience of Jamaica in the peel proud (a pun on feel proud) campaign targeted at encouraging school children to consumer bananas was briefly recognised as an example. School feeding policy and programmes must factor in any long-term FNS solution, particularly to nutrition security. The Policy Forum provided a platform for sharing of experiences in school feeding programmes in the region and their linkages to local farm produce. Experiences from Jamaica, Grenada, St, Lucia, Dominica, among others, revealed similar challenges but more importantly, novel approaches which became the germ of ideas to those nutritionists and school-feeding managers present. Cultivating good eating habits in the home was a good and essential place to start and build from.

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Essential to a long term solution is the need to ensure sustainability and stability of food systems, i.e., food security. The issues and challenges experienced by farmers in Dominica mirrored that in all CARICOM countries. The age of the farmers, both men and women, averaged over 65. Of significance is that when these farmers retire, there is no family member waiting in the wings to continue the farming enterprise. There is a strong likelihood that retired farmers' lands could be sold to housing, hotel or some other activity that is totally disconnected from agriculture. This perhaps remains among the several under-appreciated issues with respect to stability of the food system. Lack of succession planning in farming is serious enough to warrant urgent attention in FNS policy. While hurricanes and other factors often disrupt food production and distribution systems, loss of farm lands to a declining farming population is linked to the apparent lack of youth involvement in agriculture. Extensionists in the Ministry of Agriculture, Dominica, noted that there do exist a number of initiatives to get youth involved in farming, such as including agriculture in curriculum at primary, secondary and college levels and the National Association for Youth in Agriculture (N AYA), among others. However challenges such as lack of access to capital, land, resources etc, still hinder youth from entering and staying in the farming business. Healthy forests and ecosystems are indispensible to productive agriculture and sustainable and stable food supplies. There is need to bridge the gap in terms of linking forestry and sustainable food production. Forestry experts from St. Lucia and Dominica and a Permaculture practitioner from Trinidad all underscored this point in the context of climate change, which is contributing to extreme weather variability and worsening the vulnerability of agriculture and food production systems. As a result, the need to balance the economics of agriculture with the health of eco-systems, including effectively addressing the problem forests and watershed protection, soil conservation, and in the case of the farmers in Syndicate, excessive parrot feedings on citrus fields, is more important than ever before.

Diane (the ART-ists) saying bon jour and making sure that each one was comfortable .... (photo Erle Noronha)

...and on the same page ,...in the ART Resource Brief, that is (LOL)! (photo Brent Theophille)

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Getting up close and personal with Mr. Charles at his farm in Syndicate

Participants are captured by the real life experiences of Josepha on her farm in Syndicate

Photos; Brent Theophille

Opportunities to balance economics with sustainable eco-system management are also practical ways of connecting the FNS dots. The initiative taken by the Waitikubuli (Y-teeKu-boo-lee) Trails that has inter-woven hiking and nature trails close to farmers fields is one example. The only and perhaps critical area of caution, as recognised by a few participants, is attention to bio-security measures to minimize adverse effects on both farmers fields and indigenous forest species from the introductions of harmful invasive alien species, which in the long run, could adversely impact both food availability and food system stability. Good policy is essential to channel the development process and particularly, to mobilise action on the ground. Extension as the frontline of policy and interface between government and producers must be used more effectively in the policy implementation process. Enhancing effectiveness will require attention to better and integrated planning and coordination of extension services. It will also require a remodelling of Extension professionals as agents or change. In the case of agriculture, Extension services were considered the ideal agency to reach farmers on issues touching FNS and the broader agriculture environment to create a functional sector. In reaching and teaching farmers and other stakeholders, language must be as simple as possible. This was the main emphasis and message from the final Round Table, which sought to ensure that the RFNSP and any other regional policy, is not relegated to collecting dust on the shelf in an office. The conversation was steered in the direction of the how to in getting the real message across. This touched the heart of the ART communicating in a manner that brings enlightenment to inspire change. Understanding the differences between issues and concerns and building courses for horses provided the base for animated final discussion. The common denominator in the discussion was information its availability, appropriate use and effective targeting to guide decision making and drive actions at all levels. Without the right information, available in a timely manner, and messaged to the right people in the right language, communication would be ineffective.

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In Conclusion : the ART Round Tables, combined with the site visits provided this crop of ART-ists ARTistes, ART-isans and the very few who consider themselves to be ART-efacts (like Steve), an opportunity to ground the intent and content of policy into the realities and expectations of the stakeholders, in this instance, small-scale producers, traditional farmers, women in agriculture and professional farmers. there was general agreement that all the issues in the FNS concept were integrally connected. Some of the connectors in the FNS dots can be summed up in the following inter-connected 'p' words: "policy parenting production promotions projects public-private-partnerships" each important on its own merit, but critically connected within the FNS concept. While there may not be any particular starting point to making these connections, good integrated policy, producing food while taking care of the environment and enabling a healthy start targeting children, would be make some excellent starting points. there was a concern that not all the dots in the FNS issue are recognised, well understood or effectively connected. For example, conflicting trade policies that enable imports of 'cheaper food', especially fast-food franchises, do so at the expense of enabling local food producers and supporting the development of 'affordable local food products. High consumption of imported processed foods has been linked to a similarly alarming rise in Chronic Non-Communicable Diseases (CNDCs) in the region. There was enhanced awareness that while the FNS concept is indeed multi-sectoral, the RFNSP and AP were undeniably linked to the CARICOM Community Agriculture Policy (CCAP) where most, if not all of the food production related issues would be more comprehensively addressed, including issues related to seed policy, soil conservation and small farmer production. The issues and challenges in FNS are not unique to the Caribbean, as indicated by Sithembie Mwamakamba of the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) a sister network to CaRAPN in Southern Africa. Ms. Mwamakamba noted that the Comprehensive Africa Agriculture Development Programme (CAADP) 'changed the face of Agriculture in Southern Africa, making it a top priority for the region'. CAADP can be considered to be the equivalent to the RFNSP + CCAP in CARICOM. good communication is central to informed and collective actions. In this regard, CaRAPN made a start by preparing a special, easy on the eyes and brain document that provides the basic information on the policy in contribution to the process for 'rolling out' the policy and action plan, once the latter is approved by COTED in principle during the CWA (Friday 14 th October). UWI's Faculty of Food and Agriculture which will come on stream in 2012 is also positioning itself to support this 'roll out' through outreach and other collaborative activities.

The bottom line message is that each ONE of us is a DOT with a concern that collectively connects to become an FNS ISSUE that should be EVRYONEs business!
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SYNopsis

Policy Forum

The Policy Forum resembled the more traditional workshop. The aim was to introduce and raise awareness of the food and nutrition topic and the RFNSP (2010) and Action Plan (2011). This was facilitated by the circulation of a CaRAPN Summary of the CARICOM RFNSP & AP and presentations from the CARICOM Secretariat, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO), the Caribbean Farmers Network (CAFAN), the Dominica Food and Nutrition Council (DFNC) and the Food, Agriculture and Natural Resources Policy Analysis Network (FANRPAN) from South Africa.

You can lead a reader to the water but you cant make him think

Julius Gittens, ACM

Words of wisdom and caution that moderator Julius Gittens (ACM) extracted from the New York Times to place the ART in context and kick-off dialogue on the absolute need for policy makers, stakeholders and even the media, to think critically on development issues, such as FNS. He underscored that the media must play a direct and explicit role in guiding such critical thinking so that all stakeholders are aware, knowledgeable and involved in the processes that bring about (Photo: Lennox Lampkin) meaningful change. This is essentially a governance issue and must take prominence in FNS. Julius challenged all stakeholders to use ART and any other available platform and avenues to agitate change -a type of quiet green revolution. Such change must include the need for (a) more friendly articulated policies, (b) actions that make the implementation process less difficult and uncertain and (c) adopting responsible policy directives that do not dis-enfranchise vulnerable stakeholder groups for political expedience.

there are different varieties of parents

This simple, yet profound statement positions parenting as a major dot in the F&N circle. In placing the FNS topic in context, Mrs. Lambert raised a number of fundamental issues, including, the role of parents, particularly mothers, in building the foundation for healthy food choices, the role of the education system for both complementing and/or replacing that function, particularly in vulnerable households. The role of policy makers is also critical in clearly understanding the task ahead and responding through the design and implementation of effective policies and programmes. In using the current experienc e of the DFNC in formulating a national F&N policy, Mrs. Lambert underscored the importance of good policy, in terms of a fully participatory process, meaningful and well communicated content and practical actions that can be implemented for real impact.

Mrs Eleanore Lambert

Chair, Dominica Food and Nutrition Council (DFNC) (Photo: Brent Theophille)

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SYNopsis of Presentations
Do something very new and very creative; dont just think outside the box, kick away the box
This was the advice of a CARICOM Minister of Agriculture in relation to the drafting of a regional Action Plan to implement the RFNSP. The CARICOM representative introduced the RFNSP focus areas and action plan and underscored the general sentiments that policy has to be friendly and move with the times. She provided information on the regional process, the goals and objectives of the RFNSP and its Action Plan. She also agreed that civil society groups are a great way to influence these policy makers. It is these types of forums that lend themselves to making decisions on how to make nutritious foods more readily available to the populace. (The RFNSP & AP available from CaRAPN and CARICOM Secretariat websites) Ms. Johan David

CARICOM Secretariat Agriculture and Industry Programme (Photo: Brent Theophille)

there is money out there to finance actions for food and nutrition security, but the region
Dr. Vincent Little

must be strategic to access it.

Financing policy is a critical and sometimes defining connector of the FNS dots. Dr. Little noted that the situation with respect to the four main available sources for financing, including external sources and government budgets and domestic savings, was volatile, offering limited prospects as economic recession in developed countries is once again being projected. He noted that in terms of internal sources, the buying habit that characterises Caribbean economies has contributed to low domestic savings. Also, government budgets for agriculture, which have been historically low, continue to decline and often what is budgeted is not driven by the countrys strategic needs. Despite the apparent sombre financial situation, he is confident that there is money out there to finance actions for agriculture, food and nutrition security, but the region must be strategic to access it.

Food Security Advisor, FAO (Photo: Brent Theophille)

Najja Gallion (r), student of agriculture in the Dominica State Colleges believes that by 2026, (the Action Plan Vision), he wont be in a state of good health since unhealthy foods are more easily accessible. Looking on is one of State College lecturers. (Photo Moses Mike)

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SYNopsis of Experiences:
the Caribbean and South Africa can learn from each other in dealing with the issue of food and nutrition security
Thembi for short, represents a sister network to CaRAPN in Southern Africa FANRPAN, which is very engaged and influential in policy making in that region. The FANRPAN experiences so far validate the importance of collective and coordinated response to development issues in a region. She confirmed that South Africa shared similar problems and challenges with the Caribbean, such as, the usual silo approach, lack of commitment among key players and the speaking to ourselves syndrome. In 2003, the formulation and consensus on the Comprehensive Africa Agricultural Development Programme (CAADP) changed the face of agriculture making it a top priority in South Africa. Since then, priority has been given to partnerships and coordinated actions for a food secure Africa. The FANRPAN 2012 Policy Dialogue has already chosen as its theme, Investing in intra-African trade for a Food Secure Africa. Visit FANRPAN at http://www.fanrpan.org/.

Ms. SIthembie Sithembile Ndema-Mwamakamba

from the Food, Agriculture & Natural Resources Policy Network (FANRPAN) South Africa (Photo: Brent Theophille)

without the stakeholders, whoever they may be, the policy wont go forward
CAFAN represents a network of farmers numbered at around 500,000 operating on farms of varying sizes around the Caribbean. The group is moving towards a more formalised network and over the past two years, have been directly involved in the regional policy process through membership on the CARICOM Agriculture Programme Technical Working Group (TWG). Given a voice in regional policymaking, farmers themselves are now better empowered to implement FNS actions at both the national and regional levels. CAFAN has also been defining actions to support the policy implementation developing: (a) a basket of crops (livestock to come later) for exchange and trade throughout the region and (b) two projects aimed at promoting Caribbean foods and enhancing farm to market linkages. CAFAN, comprised mainly of volunteers, will continue to mobilise support and financing through strategic partnerships and project development in order to meet its objectives and contribute to food and nutrition security and regional integration through agricultural development. Mrs. Stacy Rose-Richards

Representative of the Caribbean Farmers Network (CAFAN) (Photo: Brent Theophille)

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Some of the other key points that emerged from the Policy Forum included issues of:
Scope: The region still has not solved the problem of food availability and the focus on food production in the RFNSP & AP, including preservation of soil and other natural resource bases for agriculture, is welcomed. But there is need for a more inter-sectoral approach. In the past policies usually looked at one side or aspect of the issue and similarly the RFNSP is largely of an agricultural orientation and there appears not to be clear enough distinction between what is in the agricultural policy vs the RFNSP. Also, the overlap in priorities, objectives and actions is significant;

Nutrition and Safety Focus: nutritional aspects of food and investment in nutrition promotion must be central points of the policy given the situation of poor diets in the Caribbean, contributing to CNCDs and deteriorating health which is adversely impacting countries in the region. Food must be seen as providing the basic protein and energy requirements for health and not limited to just satisfying hunger. This should be the basis premise of the Right to Food principle. there is need for caution in promoting food availability and utilization. The region has moved from with one type of malnutrition in the 70s (under-nutrition) to another (obesity or over-nutrition). Fruits and vegetables are healthy but only in the right quantities; Food safety needs to be emphasised at all levels, including in locally processed foods and removing labelling discrepancies between imported and local foods;

Society and Policy Interface: the policy has to address the changing environment and culture in the Caribbean (e.g. convenience, large population of working mothers, etc.) to develop a strong base for implementation; the level of private sector involvement (policy formation and implementation) should be built upon; in communicating the policy and promoting nutritious food and lifestyle choices, the language must be simple and the strategy should consider use of local celebrities and popular culture in order to reach all stakeholders;

Some areas that could be covered and/or strengthened in the policy include the issue of: physical exercise, is an important part of a healthy lifestyle that requires policy intervention; seed germplasm as an important action; specific measures in relation to agro-chemical use which may compromise the safety of healthy foods. To that end, the following were proposed: (i) some form of chemical register and traceability list that keeps record of proper agro-chemical use and (ii) addressing the issue of banned agro-chemicals being sold to the Region which have the capacity to destroy the natural environment and affect health;

While the latter issues are valid and important, they are being accommodated in the CARICOM Community Agriculture Policy (CCAP) which was subsequently tabled at the COTED during the Caribbean Week of Agriculture.

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Synopsis

Round Table #1: Tackling Nutrition and Utilisation

The focus of this first RT was nutrition, seen as the starting point of the RFNSP to guide decisions on appropriate policy and business activities. Moderator Julius Gittens from the ACM ensured that the dialogue was as witty as it was thought provoking.

RT#1: Guests / Main Message. . .

We eat with our eyes; if food is not attractive we wont buy it to eat
Ms. Helen Constance Robertson Helen promoted the need for product development and transformation to meet consumer requirements for safe, nutritious and convenient foods is essential. This is especially as it relates to options for marketing healthy foods to children and their parents (in particular). There is need for better inter-sectoral cooperation on the nutrition and food availability issue. The link between agriculture and education was a focal point in early education on healthy food choices. An understanding and appreciation for agriculture and the resource base that supports it must also be tied into the formal education process. This also provides an opportunity to address proper (balanced) nutrition while supporting an early involvement in agriculture that may encourage the number of skilled persons entering the field, agribusiness development and innovation. Interestingly, specific legislation was not advocated as being essential to adopting healthy consumption options at pre-natal and early childhood stages when health is a major factor in lifestyle choices. This offers scope for agribusiness development that is largely under-utilized and would support FNS.

Director of School Feeding Programme, Ministry of Education, Jamaica (Photo: Brent Theophille)

in promoting foods for healthy choices, people need to understand WHY; dont give them half the story!
Lisa noted that actions for FNS require targeting households as the essential step in tackling nutrition and improving the utilization of healthy foods, especially local foods in supporting local agribusiness. There is a critical paradox issue where persons are choosing less nutritious food options while taking in too much food without proper nutritional balance or exercise. This is essentially the crux of the matter, evidenced in the growing number of cases of chronic noncommunicable diseases (CNCDs, e.g. diabetes, hypertension). If we want to achieve balanced diets, local fruits and food stuffs in many instances are nutritionally better, especially in their fresh form, relative to the highly marketed imported and often preserved options for balanced diet and food choices. Interventions that breach social and economic barriers to utilizing local foods would then be essential to improving the current situation.

Ms. Lisa Hunt

Chief Nutritionist, Ministry of Health, Saint Lucia (Photo: Brent Theophille)

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Key points

emerging from Round Table #1 are that:-

the FNS issue is a complex one that will need: novel and varied approaches from collective or multiple starting points in tackling FNS challenges in a systematic and continuous manner; to definitely target early nutrition of children to encourage healthy and nutritious food choices (in education and child care): e.g. developing baby foods and purees; to properly identify and effectively respond to the need to the vulnerable, such as young children, the aged and women. Women/mothers have been identified as vulnerable in the context of encouraging poor consumption choices. This group should be considered amongst the first-level interventions for FNS. greater efforts should be made on utilisation of local foods, through, inter alia: higher consumption of in-season food crops and appropriate food processing and storage systems, especially in households and communities, to strengthen home utilization of healthy and nutritious foods, reduce wastage and enhance year round availability; support to continuous adult education/skills training programmes to build capacity for utilisation of local food items (e.g. home economics, life-skills training). building alliances with Local agro-processing awareness to encourage greater use of local content and produce affordable, healthy and safe local food products that cater to the convenience and acceptability factors of consumer choice; support to programmes, such as, school feeding, particularly to vulnerable groups, including extending such provisions to vulnerable pockets at tertiary level institutions, school gardens, summer activities (e.g. within summer school) that give greater reach and food access to students; innovative and appropriate information systems to reach housewives and those at home towards greater awareness on health and nutrition options using local food items. This could counter the constant messages encouraging unhealthy food choices as given by commercials, etc. there is a critical need to promote and maintain balance in FNS actions, through, inter alia:scientific investigation on the benefits and risks of imported, mainly processed foods that contribute to deteriorating health and poor food utilisation. Special attention was drawn to the absence of appropriate ingredients labelling; identifying the economic value of nutrition on development and defining measures for protection of local food industry and encourage investment; reducing the time-span between policy articulation and implementation especially where investment (e.g. from farmers, agribusinesses, lending institutions) are motivated by policy directives; paying greater attention to youth entrepreneurial development in areas of product development utilising local foods; There was a general consensus that on the need for the average Joe to push national authorities to implement suitable actions from the RFNSP at the national level, based on a recognition that this would probably be the most effective way for the policy to gain acceptance, traction and give teeth to the RFNSP and make it more instrumental in agriculture development.

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Synopsis

Round Table #2: Tackling Availability and Stability

Media consultant, Chester Connell, kicked off the discussion by highlighting the errors in development thinking and action in equating food availability with simply producing more food, often times without careful consideration of the sustainability of natural systems (e.g. native fauna and flora, environmental services, water, soil, etc) that support the process.

RT#2: Guests/Main Message. . .

Mr. Erle RahamanNoronha,

feed the soils, not the plants; creating healthy soils will lead to healthy foods
Erle introduced and explained permaculture as an option for creating sustainable food production systems. Permaculture focuses on stabilizing food systems by practicing agriculture in such a way that is not tied to increasing oil prices. Rising oil prices are felt in inputs, transportation and other costs. Reducing vulnerability to volatile prices will, eventually, help to moderate increases in the price of food. Permanent agriculture takes advantage of, and protects the natural environment in supporting the growth of crops particularly in areas of pest control and soil health. This effectively reduces production costs and food losses while maintaining the irreplaceable natural resources that support agriculture. The basis behind this system is to ensure that food is continuously (permanently) available from the farm as opposed to waiting on one crop or a few crops over extended periods of time.

Director, Wasamaki Ecosystems Ltd. Trinidad (Photo Lennox Lampkin)

adaptive strategies, including choice of crops, farming systems and more youth involvement are needed
Kean believes that crop choice and crop stability are important to develop stability and resilience against issues such as climate change, storm virulence and preventing land degradation. The ability to incorporate these into existing systems would better steady farming activities (e.g. income, natural resource preservation and farm-loss reduction) and encourage a shift at the farm level towards more stable food supply. These will require adaptive strategies, and maybe more challenging, management of agriculture to limit the shocks to food production. Kean used of work (measured as the product of force and distance in Physics) to illustrate the need for working smart. This was used to convey the message that steps must be taken to cover more distance as opposed to being force-intensive so that meaningful results can be achieved for agriculture. This also requires an understanding that sometimes it is improvements in the little things that make the biggest difference.
Kean Stephenson

Extension Office, Ministry of Agriculture, Dominica (Photo Lennox Lampkin)

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RT#2: Guests/Main Message. . .

Mr Cecil John

We need to be less conventional in developing plans for using our biodiversity, that includes commercialising forest products for food
Cecil is an adamant advocate for strong management and the need for a holistic or integrated strategy that harmonizes the laws and interests of the numerous sectors seeking to sustainably use the natural resource. There is need to identify and develop options for sustainably using the extensive biodiversity and indigenous species of the Caribbean, instead of always relying on wholesale 'imported' commodities and varieties. Cecil used the example of forest products that could be grown more commercially as a source of food or for non-food product development, such as the Pasiflora glandulosa known locally as pomme dilliene. This is a local wild fruit whose potential for food and nutrition is not being harnessed in conventional farming and agribusiness. According to Cecil, P. glandulosa is very sweet and savoury, with commercial applications in juicing, confectionery and ice-cream food processing. This will require research and development, a cost that we have to bear in commercialising our indigenous species.

Chief Forestry Officer, Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry, Saint Lucia

(Photo Lennox Lampkin)

Special Thanks to the Management of the Waitukubuli National Trail (WNT) Project

(l to 2)Giant fern; WNT Signage; WNTs Eddie Henry briefing ART; and Forester Albert Gallion under a Gommier tree standing tall and proud in the field of Ruby Joyce in Syndicate (photos Erle Noronha).

The WNT is developing through a project of the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica in partnership with the Regional Council of Martinique and funded by the European Union. The WNT is expected to be a major tourist product in Dominica with linkages to Health Tourism, Community Tourism, Culture Tourism and Agro-Tourism. The WNT will meet international standards with required facilities and proper operational guidelines. The trail has the potential to expand Dominicas tourist market and significantly contribute to the rural economy. This development initiative also promotes environmental conservation, historical and cultural preservation and sustainable development at all levels. In addition walking the trail can deepen citizens and visitors appreciation for Dominica as the Nature Isle. It can help to foster a greater sense of national pride as citizens discover themselves through journeying the trail. Nature lovers, hikers, cultural enthusiasts and others are encouraged to hike the WNT. For each trail there are stories to tell and experiences to sell. The Waitikubuli nature trail (an island-long path for hikers) skirts their farms, as well as several streams and natural run-offs from the mountainous interior. The Syndicate area is also an important habitat for the Sisserou parrot the national bird of Dominica.
(See more at: http://www.dominica.gov.dm/cms/files/wntp_Booklet_final.pdf)

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Key points
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from the discussion were that:

Attention needs to be given to: the whole system that provides environmental services (e.g. water catchments such as forest and soil)as these are essential to a stable environment for agriculture; identifying and discouraging tourism development options (e.g. converting tropical dry forests to golf courses) that are unsustainable at the scale being pursued in small island states of the Caribbean; identifying and building synergies between agriculture (e.g. agro-tourism and ecotourism) and sometimes competing industries that support solutions to problems in the existing operating system; identifying and discouraging bad practices in agriculture that degrade forests and contaminate water courses, including type of crops grown and accompanying cropping system (e.g. permaculture) to ensure stable production (e.g. against hurricanes and drought) and food supplies, and the nutrition value of foods coming out of these systems. recognizing other external factors (e.g. environmental services) that are directly attached to agriculture in building stable food production systems; the small, operational issues that bring early meaningful results and that pave the way for further development in efforts to reconcile issues and their consequent actions; demonstrating the economic cost and value of sustainable systems, important to gaining public and political support and to motivate personal changes by showing the benefits of adopting alternative approaches.

It is important to: giving equal treatment to forestry issues in discussions on food and agriculture, since healthy forests are a critical part of the solution for sustainable food production and adaptation to climate change; maintain forested hillsides to help curb severity of natural disasters through forest functions, such as, slope stabilization and moderation of water flow into the river systems. However, the effects of more virulent storms associated with climate change produce additional gaps in the forest space that make it more vulnerable; strengthen cooperation between ministries (Agriculture, Environment, etc) and administrative offices to remove gaps that hinder overall management to form consensus on appropriate actions. Linkages between policies and operations of these institutions is severely lacking; integrate and facilitate formal and informal groupings of youth in agriculture, since youth are more inclined to new ideas and adopting alternative farming systems.

a group of ART-explorers armed with their cameras and curiosity, on the Syndicate trail in search of 70+ year old Ruby Joyce a fiercely independent female farmer of coffee, dasheen, citrus and bananas, who continues to persevere in the face of labour and market difficulties.
(photo: Brent Theophille)

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There is need to find innovative and sometimes unconventional solutions for: - making more effective use of native forestry resources in the region. There are many opportunities to introduce wild species of flora and fauna into structured farming systems as a means of increasing utilization for food production and agribusiness. An appropriate structure would ensure sustainable food sources without compromising the stability of the natural environment; - balancing ecology with economics, especially in situations where natural and protected species conflict with farm production, such as with the e.g. Sisserou parrots feeding on crops can be turned into a tourist attraction in compensating the loss of revenue. In some situations, the problem can be made part of the solution; - sustainable food production that should include alternative systems, such as, permaculture, the utilize or sustain services provided by the natural environment and native species (e.g. growing immortelle for shade, soil stabilization and nitrogen fixing and palm leaves for incorporating trace minerals via mulching); - indigenous research and development and models of adaptation to climate change and building resilience in farming systems.

Special Thanks Cabrits - Fort Shirley Nattional Park part of Segment 14, t he Final Segment of the Waitukubuli National Trail (WNT) Project

The Cabrits Fort Shirley National Park provided the idyllic setting and backdrop for Round Table #2 Tackling Availability and Stability. Special Thanks to Dr. Lennox Honeychurch (below), who has been painstakingly resorting the site to its former glory.

Photos: Erle Noronha

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SYNopsis

Round Table #3 : Innovating Extension for Implementing FNP

This session started with focus on the value of good policy to development by guiding activi ties on the ground. To that end, extension as the first line of interaction between government and farmers is an important area for intervention on current development areas. Christopher Sirju of the Jamaica Gleaner moderated.

Guests/Main Message. . .
all the experiences pointed to a need for better planning and coordination of extension services... Alain brought unique examples from Haiti that touched on strategic planning of extension efforts, institutional cooperation and political support to improve the effectiveness of extension in a country with some 1 million small farmers with an average of 1.5 ha and a responsibility to feed about 10 million. His contributions highlighted avenues for other Caribbean institutions to draw on the Haitian experience in managing large-scale initiatives as well as farmer organization to enable extension and other institutions to better support development at the farm-level for coordination of food production and supply. On that point, he advocated for more dialogue and cooperation for comprehensive planning before seeking implementation or action. Mr. Alain Thermil

Project Manager, IICA Haiti (Photo: Brent Theophille)

Mr. Steve Maximay

farmers are not resistant to change; just cautious of drastically altering their operations at the request of experts Steve broadened the conversation into areas of training and implementation of extension support with the focus being on having the strategic scope for extension to be what farmers need as opposed to what is traditionally understood. The discussion was sobered in reflecting on the need for institutions and trained professionals to guide an iterative policy implementation process through dialogue with the primary stakeholders. In the case of agriculture and the ART, extension services were considered the ideal agency to reach farmers on issues touching FNS and the broader agriculture environment to create a functional sector.

Director, Science Based Initiatives (Photo: Brent Theophille)

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The discussion
-

recognised that :

as the demands on Extension continue to grow and change, there is need: to change the way we perceive and plan Extension, away from the traditional telling farmers about what theyve already been doing to encouraging farmers to understand and apply technologies that add value to the farming operation, comply with production and food safety standards, among others; for more strategic focus/plan in extension services to develop core competences in the main development areas. This plan could include parties outside of solely extension (as partners) who can contribute to the overall process; more clearly understand the differences between the job description of an Extension officer and expectations of the farmer. Lack of understanding hinders the ability of the Ministry of Agriculture to interact with farmers on development issues while farmers concerns are generally left unanswered; to upgrade and expand the type, frequency and scope of training provided to extension officers, including exploring additional uses of available technology, to keep Extension current and relevant to their clients with respect to the range and dynamics of issues that now confront food production, trade and nutrition security; to involve farmers in defining the solutions to the problems through methods such as, farmer field schools, that have good and proven successes. Effective and efficient communication between farmers and extension personnel in getting actions from the RFNSP understood and implemented at the farm level (e.g. in translating calorific or nutritional requirements into nation-wide food production systems) is also key. This may be achieved in forums that give farmers the opportunity to come up with the answers on how best F&N actions may be implemented; recognize that farmers are not resistant to change but rather cautious of drastically altering their operations at the request of experts with changing information, opinions, advice and suggestions. Inconsistent messages and information creates tensions and distrust between farmers and extension officers. There is need therefore, for some strategic review to identify a long-term and non-transitory basis for engaging farmers and to validate research and technologies so that farmers are less hesitant to adopt/adapt; to promote and foster group/cooperative development and manage the dynamics in order to maximise on good communication, information sharing, enhance project management involving activities with large number of farmers, as well as empowering farmers to act on issues of importance to them; for greater inter-agency cooperation in identifying the message (through individual information repositories) and appropriate medium (asking the who, what, where and how) for getting the message across; for other agricultural institutions to get on the ground and support front-line activities that are meaningful in improving the way that technical support is delivered. This may challenge the traditional concept of how extension works by giving more support at different stages to the process of getting a message across that would effect change;

There was a general sentiment that while Extension is perceived as the lowest position within the Ministry of Agriculture, there is a high expectation from Extension to get things moving on the ground.

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SYNopsis

Round Table #4: Strengthening Communication and Knowledge-sharing for FNP

Guests/Main Message. . .
Because to the farmer if it does not make economic sense for him, then it is a problem for him to actually take up that technology and see the usefulness and the benefit of it. Speaking on the challenge of communicating to farmers on adoption of new technologies and interventions, Adisa reconfirmed the recurring problems in getting reliable and consistent data as the base to develop programmes. All Ministries want information from agriculture but the issue of making this an additional responsibility of Extension may be difficult under the existing modus operandi of extension. The process of data gathering and verification is also not well coordinated. Communication with farmers must focus on communicating the monetary benefit of adopting alternative farming systems. The economic sense of the message is a major factor in his decision making. Strategies for targeting younger farmers can be difficult for extension as many of the young farmers are part-time and may operate on the farm outside of the normal working hours of extension. While the message is the same, the tool/transport for communicating the message may not be adequate for all.

Mr. Adissa Trotter

Ministry of Agriculture, Dominica (Photo: Moses Mike)

Effective communication means that we need to understand the difference between an issue and a concern and then framing the message to suit. Steve gave several clear examples of separating the concern from the issue in much the same way the symptom would be distinguished from the cause. This will help to de-bungle the real development challenges that need to be understood so that effective responses can be developed. There is a serious need to focus on the development issues of importance in the messages as opposed to just the concerns of individuals or specific groups. Similarly, policy-makers should be approached with the issues and not the concerns. There is a need for framing issues affecting agriculture and not venting concerns when communicating to a wide audience because once we deviate towards concerns, the issue may be effectually lost to the overall policy development process and agenda. In that light, the message communicated must address the needs of the target audience and not simple relay problems.

Mr. Steve Maximay

Director, Science Based Initiatives (Photo: Erle Noronha)

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Guests/Main Message. . .

News is not what people say; Its what people do!

Mr. Julius Gittens Getting the message across means having the right message for the right people so that it could be understood and could accomplish the desired intention of the message. Generally the idea of communication is that of reporting on what the Minister or ruling government has done. Agriculture needs to go beyond this and should keep upgrading its techniques and approaches being used. Communication has to be appropriate! Exactly what goes into this process can vary, but must include everything from correct and up-to-date information to central communication strategies and agencies to ensure consistency. There is need therefore, for programmes that develop communication skills in Extension officers so that the nature of messages is appropriate for the target audience. The Commonwealth of learning provides training in communication which some agricultural professionals have been already received. We need to avoid making assumptions on the effectiveness of the methods of communication we use. If there is no meaningful response to the message then the effectiveness of the communication approach is in question.

Association of Caribbean Media (ACM) workers (Photo: Erle Noronha)

Communication is not just one dot but a collection of dots speaking on identifying the message of importance to agriculture stakeholders and getting that message across to them;
Nicole wrapped up the final Round Table by recognising that the expanded demands of agriculture call for sophistication in agriculture. It also similarly requires that communication becomes more sophisticated, considering meaningful avenues for reaching the youth and encouraging their practical involvement in different areas of agriculture (e.g. food utilization and nutrition). We need to build relationships with journalists where information can be shared and both sides can be better sensitized on how to communicate. The mindset to form relationships and bridge existing gaps is the biggest dot and part of the entire connecting the dots process. Lets not demonize farming so that the youth can be encouraged to become involved in agriculture.

Mrs. Nicole Best

Freelance Journalist/ACM

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SYNopsis: Field Experiences

Site #1: Syndicate

ART took participants to visit five (5) farmers, four in Syndicate, the Northern Forest Reserve and one in Soufrire, in the South. For these ART-ourists the experience was both enriching and a great break from the usual hotel conference room-based meetings! We thank the Extension Division, particularly Dianna Henry and the team of Extension Officers, and Albert Gallion, Stephen Durand and the rest of the team from the Forestry Division for arranging and facilitating the Farm Visits. We would particularly like to thank the farmers, profiled below, for the unconditional access to their farms, their thoughts, feel and tastes of their fruits and a glimpse in the life and times of farming in Dominica.

Witnell Louis
(Photos: Lennox Lampkin (bottom left)

Ruby Joyce
(Photos: Erle Noronha)

Louis is knocking the door of 80 years and still going strong in his farming enterprise. Farming is all he knows and what he has spent his entire life doing. His farm is 29 acres, relatively large by Dominican standards in the Syndicate, in the vicinity of the Waitikubuli Nature Trail. He has owned this farm since 1979. His farm is filled with well organised and maintained stands of citrus varieties interspaced with dasheen, cocoa, sugar-cane, among others. Louis and six workers do all the farm work. Louis has dealt with all the usual challenges that farmers in the Caribbean face, except one, competition for his fruits from Dominicas national bird, the Sisserou Parrot (Amazona imperialis), protected by law. Since Hurricane David (in 1979) which destroyed the forests, the parrots natural food source, the birds have taken a liking to citrus seeds. Since 1982, the birds have been steadily pecking away at his profits. Louiss frustrations are obvious in his voice and gesticulations. He needs a solution, and fast, since he has a keen interest in exploring juicing, especially using his pineapple orange, a very sweet variety that he thinks is a good choice for fresh juice.

Ruby is 72 years, and like Witnell, has been farming all her life. Her farm, walking distance from Witnell, also borders the Waitukubuli Nature Trail. She has more than 200 citrus trees, mainly grapefruit and orange and root crops, such as dasheen, yam and tannia. In an interview with Dixie-Ann Dixon representing the Trinidad and Tobago, Guardian newspaper, Joyce commented that her production and labour are low since, among other reasons, its just my husband, a couple workers and myself. Her average weekly production is 900 grafted oranges. Joyce, who has been in farming since she was a little child, finds it difficult to persuade any of her nine children-the youngest being 32, to step into farming. Joyce said unlike her children, farming is all she has ever known. I grew up in farming and prefer to work for myself, but its a challenge for the youth to get involved. Farming in Dominica, she said, is looked upon as a last resort for people who cannot find a job or have limited education.

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Field Experiences Site #1: Syndicate

Ross Charles
(Photos: Erle Noronha)

Josepha Charles
(Photos: Erle Noronha)

Ross is a 61-year one-year farmer also in the Syndicate areas. Charles said he has been farming since the age of 20. He has three daughters, all educated and none interested in agriculture. His main produce is eggs. He has 700 layers on his almost seven acres of land. For most of the ARTourists, the bespectacled hens, according to Lennox and Chris Sirju, were a first time experience. Mr. Charles explained that the blinders were used to prevent the hens from pecking each other to death and in rare situations, from damaging the eggs, the main source of his livelihood. These blinkers, chicken feed and a major part of his inputs are all imported. The feed, as is the case for all other poultry producers, is expensive and is purchased mainly from Trinidad. Noticing the padlocked hen houses, some participants assumed that Mr. Charles suffered from praedial larceny. But according to Ross, the main problem was with the wild animals, including feral cats who used his hens as their food source. As Bob, explained, cats are essentially invasive alien species, which, when abandoned, in the wild, can become pests, hence the term feral cats. Ross felt generally satisfied with his production levels, since his eggs are all sold locally market. Targeting the export market is not in his immediate plans at the moment since at the price he would have to sell he may not be able to competitive or cover his costs.

Josepha, (no, not Rosss wife or immediate relation) also over 60 female farmer, also operates in the heights of Syndicate. She owns a mixed farm where she rears pigs, chicken and grows a mix of dasheen, banana and several fruits. But her primary product is pork. As with all small farmers, she confronts the same issues of labour availability and cost, other farm inputs, farm roads and other infrastructure and markets. She must consider her options for being able to both attract and properly pay labour as a result of shortage brought on in part by the serious decline in the banana industry and growing disinterest amongst youth in traditional farming. Despite the challenges, she has plans to build her business and is interested in improving the quality of her cuts so that she can expand her options within the circle of consumers that she supplies. She in fact slaughters and butchers herself, selling the choice cuts to local restaurants and households. She reflects that among the issues of most importance to her are the high cost of feed, timely technical advice and cost-saving options with respect to treatments and fertilizers. Many of the inputs are costly at the retail level on account of the small volumes coming into Dominica which raise the transportation cost. As a result, alternative options for keeping costs down are very important to her.

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Located lock, stock and barrel in one of the 14 Trails of the Waitikubuli Nature Trails, the four farmers are somewhat interested in exploring opportunities in agro and eco-tourism. Further investment in tourism and improved access to the Syndicate nature trails could provide additional avenues to expand and diversify their operations to accommodate tourists, ease the farm to market transportation through improved roads, and perhaps encourage the interest of youth to get involved in modern farming experiences. However, this has to be well thought out, planned and managed, especially as it relates to introduction of pests and diseases, particularly invasive alien species which has the potential to devastate their livelihoods.

Field Experiences Site #2: Soufrire

Soufrire brought an entirely new experience and different perspective to the ART-ourists. Soufrire also hosts Segment 1 of the Waitikubuli National Trail. The farms in the Soufrire valley are a legacy of the traditional L.Rose and Co. Ltd., a firm from the United Kingdom which owned and successfully operated the lime and citrus (mainly grapefruits) estates in Dominica in the pre-Hurricane David (1979) era. Since the Hurricane, the Government of Dominica which bought over the destroyed juicing plant and the estates, struggled to maintain the operations, and eventually sub-divided and sold the estates to former workers. Dr. Moise is one such recipient of this sub-division programme.

Vivian Moise
(Photos: Erle Noronha)

Moise, a retired medical doctor and now successful professional farmer operates a 4.25 acre farm in the volcanic soils of the Soufrire valley. Of this, 3 acres are currently under pineapple, two of the Taiwanese varieties T-4 and T-11 and the smooth Cayenne. He is a member of the 12-year old Nature Island Pineapple Producers (NIPPA) association which was involved in the recently concluded FAO value chain development project. Dr. Moise is positive that pineapple is a very profitable crop. His 4-yr old field requires very little maintenance and thus keeps costs down. For health and safety reasons, he is also moving towards a low-chemical operation. Hence having standards in agriculture is fair; they ensure product quality and guarantee safety to the consumer. This is also beneficial to farmers as roughly80% of NIPPAs product is exported to the USVI, Martinique, Antigua, St. Kitts and Nevis, using Geest Shipping. But the cost is prohibitive. Through NIPPA, the farmers are able to engage LIAT for more favourable terms for shipping. NIPPA recently engaged with local processor, Bello and co. Ltd. in developing 3 value-added products: jams, concentrates and ready-mix drink. For Dr. Moise, succession planning is not a problem. One son, who has taken an interest in cuisine and cooking and is also into healthy eating and organic has expressed interest in continuing the farming business. The other son is also warming up to the farming prospect.

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(l) WNT Signage (c) one of the secluded hot tubs and (r) mediART making merry in the hot pool in the Soufrire volcanic hot springs (photos: Erle Noronha)

ART-ists (l) sharing a light moment at the last Round Table and (r) sharing a joke on the Scotts Head point (Photos: Lennox Lampkin)

ART participants getting ready to hit the tables, with a hearty, healthy, all-local meal prepared by our resident host, Euvilla Lewis (extreme right) and family.

Special Thanks to:

Rodneys Wellness Retreat (RWR) Kanawa, Brooklyn in the village of Soufrire, the venue for out final lunch and Round Table

(Photos: Erle Noronha)

The Rodney family has converted their plot of land, acquired under the governments sub-division of the Soufrire Estate into an agro-tourism enterprise. Entrepreneur, Bevin Lewis indicated that though this work-in-progress is a true family and integrated business. Food and fresh juices served at the restaurant is either harvested on the spot, from amongst the varied fruit, roots, vegetables and herbs grown in the sprawling and beautiful gardens or purchased (mostly meat products) from village farmers. The gardens also host the adventurous camper who is welcome to bunker down in the camp sites and tents pitched primarily for this purpose. Euvilla, Bevins sister commended the IICA Dominica office for its continued guidance and support throughout this process. Visit them at: http://rodneyswellness.com/

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Connecting the dots

Food for thought!
If anything, the discussions taught us that there is no one menu or recipe for addressing the food and nutrition challenge, and as a result, the ingredients and the way in which they are used will change according to the circumstances. What this means is that although the specifics may vary, the central focus remains on linking the core issues that mark the most important to the pillars and associated aspects of FNS. The illustration below seeks to indentify and link some of the critical dots (from policy to operational) between issues, opportunities and outstanding concerns that tie the various segments of the inter-connected Round Tables, The strong (bold) arrows highlight linear connections which remain fairly fixed across the board, whereas the softer (curved) arrows highlight the more dynamic interconnections that are at the heart of the FNS issues and solutions.
Utilization Coordination & training Conservation of the natural environment

Sustainability of Supply

Expanded agriculture

Extension Support Production Planning Availability Process Planning Agro-chemical regulation 1. Policy Focus on Nutrition Labelling Preservation of genetic material Innovation & product development

Market development

Safety

Acceptability Adequacy Communication

Determination (R&D)

Changing sociocultural realities

Linear connections Dynamic connections

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Thank you to Mr. Kingsley Thomas, General Manager/Consultant, and the staff of the Dominica Agricultural Industrial Development Bank for sponsoring what turned out to be a Wet but Wonder-filled Wednesday first taking to the high seas with Anchorage Whale Watching

then soaring like eagles on the Rain Forest Arial Tram

Photos courtesy Lennox Lampkin, Erle Noronha and Brent Theophille

25

List of Participants - External

Name 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. De Sormeaux. Afyia Mike. Moses Carr. Tsian Ramnanan. Naitram Theophille. Brent Fonseca. Jose Evelyn. Eric Ndema-Mwamakamba. Sithembile Rawlins. Gregg Representation Agribusiness Society, UWI, Trinidad Agribusiness Society, UWI, Trinidad Agribusiness Society, UWI, Trinidad; CaRAPN CABI, Trinidad - IAS Specialist CaRAPN, Research/Project Assistant CTA,Programme Manager, The Netherlands Dept. of Agriculture, Nevis Communications FANRAPN, South Africa IICA, Representative, Trinidad and Tobago & Coordinator, Regional Integration-Caribbean Region IICA Director, Headquarters IICA Haiti, Project Manager IICA Trinidad, Technical Secretary Journalist; ACM/CMC; Grenada Journalist; ACM; Barbados Journalist; ACM; Guyana Journalist; ACM; St. Vincent Journalist; Jamaica Gleaner Journalist; the Trinidad & Tobago Guardian Media Consultants, St. Vincent Min. of Agriculture, Antigua Communications Min. of Agriculture, Antigua, Permanent Secretary Min. of Agriculture, Jamaica Communications Min. of Agriculture, St Lucia - Forestry Min. of Education, Jamaica - School feeding Min. of Food Production, Trinidad, Communications Min. of Health, St. Lucia - Chief Nutritionist St.Vincent Chamber of Agriculture & Nutrition Wasamaki Permaculture, Trinidad Science Based Initiatives, Trinidad UWI, St. Augustine, Trinidad Breekat Enterprises Ltd FAO Food Security Advisor CaFAN member CARICOM, Agriculture and Industry Programme E-mail afiyades@gmail.com mosesmike_395@hotmail.com tsiancarr@gmail.com N.Ramnanan@cabi.org Brenttheo@gmail.org fonseca@cta.int eric_evelyn@hotmail.com sndema@fanrapan.org Gregg.Rawlins@iica.int

10. Budhram, Dowlat 11. Thermil. Alain 12. Hodge. Geselle 13. Best. Nicole 14. Gittens. Julius 15. Wilkinson. Relwick, Bert 16. Daniel. Theresa 17. Sirju. Christopher 18. Dickson. Dixie-Ann 19. Connell.Chester 20. Campbell. Onika 21. Peters. Zane Sharon 22. Thoms. Cecil 23. John. Cecil Lundon 24. Robertson. iHelen 25. Agard-Simmons. Yolande 26. Hunt. Lisa 27. Lampkin. Lennox 28. Rahaman-Noronha. Erle 29. Maximay. Steve 30. Baccus-Taylor. Gail 31. Edwards. Brian 32. Little. Vincent 33. Rose-Richards. Stacy 34. David. Johan

Dowlat.Budhram@iica.int alain.thermil@iica.int geselle.hodge@iica.int nicole.b.best@gmail.com gittensj@gmail.com bertw5086@gmail.com vincelonian@yahoo.com cserju@hotmail.com shortpix@hotmail.com mediaconsultants@chesterconnell.com onika.campbell@gmail.com speters0204@yahoo.com cethoms@moa.gov.jm lynjohn1@yahoo.com helen.robertson@moe.gov.jm

ysimmons@fplma.gov.tt lhunt2000@hotmail.com lennoxlampkin@gmail.com wasamaki@tstt.net.tt smaximay@sbi-tt.com gail.baccus-taylor@sta.uwi.edu breekatenterprises1@gmail.com Vincent.Little@fao.org stacyanan23@yahoo.com johandavid@caricom.org

26

List of Participants: Local

Name Representation E-mail

We wish to thank the following local participants for accepting our invitation and for participating and contributing to the discussion in one or more of the ART sessions held on the Monday 10th, Tuesday 11th and Thursday 13th of October. Your time with us was greatly appreciated!
1. Laudat. Ing. Taletha 2. Benjamin. Kelvin 3. Henry. Jermaine 4. Honore. Tousley 5. Leslie. Sherian 6. Shem. Victor 7. Roberts. Claudine 8. Gregoire. Thomas 9. Pacquette-Anselm. Nadia Agronomist CALLS, Student CALLS, Student CALLS, Student CALLS, Student CALLS, Student Dept. of Local Govt. & Community Dev. Local Govt. Commissioner (Ag) DEXIA, General Manager DEXIA/National Export Strategy/ Trade Promotion Officer/ Agriculture/Agribusiness Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry Division of Agriculture; Agricultural Officer lll (Ag) Division of Agriculture; Agricultural Officer ll (Ag) Division of Agriculture; Agricultural Officer lll (Ag) Division of Agriculture; Agricultural Trainee Division of Agriculture; Agricultural Officer ll (Ag) Division of Agriculture; Agricultural Officer llI (Ag) Division of Agriculture; Agricultural Officer ll (Ag) Division of Agriculture; Agricultural Officer l (Ag) Division of Agriculture; Agricultural officer ll Division of Agriculture/NAYA; Agricultural officer ll (Ag) DOAM, President Dominica Grammar School; Teacher/ Home Economics Dominica National Council of Women; President Dominica Poultry Association; President Dominica State College; Lecturer Dominica State College; Student Domnitjen Magazine; Editor Farmer Farmer Farmer Farmer Soil3@msn.com callsdom@yahoo.com callsdom@yahoo.com callsdom@yahoo.com callsdom@yahoo.com callsdom@yahoo.com localgovernment.gov.dm/ Clauds_143@hotmail.com dexia@cwdom.dm dexia@cwdom.dm

10. Joseph. Stephen 11. Alexander. Norman 12. Anthony. Cyrille 13. Bertand. Bryan 14. Casimir. Caren 15. Constance. Edward 16. Henry. Dianna 17. Phillip. Marcus 18. Trotter. Adisa 19. Stephenson. Keian 20. Williams. Delroy 21. Obonyo. Olu 22. Seaman. Lesia 23. Dublin-Prince. Josephine 24. Harris. Errol 25. Allicock-Joseph. Sharon 26. Gallion. Najja 27. Laurent. Giselle 28. Charles. Josepha 29. Charles. Ross 30. Daniel. Morril 31. Darroux. Wendell

josephsa@dominica.gov.dm normanalexander72@hotmail.com tonyc_2@hotmail.com Brytosis@hotmail.com deeangle_2@hotmail.com econstance@hotmail.com dianazee@hotmail.com mphillip55@hotmail.com adisatrotter@gmail.com keians@hotmail.com sewotoy@hotmail.com; naya_da@hotmail.com olu.obonyo@gmail.com; inquiry@doamdominica.org grammar@cwdom.dm dncw@cwdom.dm/joe851@hotmail.co m errolmar@cwdom.dm allicocksharon@hotmail.com hidden-lion@hotmail.com domnitjenmag@gmail.com

27

List of Participants: Local

Name 32. Gussie. Deles 33. James. Royer 34. Jean. Mac-Morris 35. Joyce. Erickson 36. Julien. James 37. Laudat. Petterson 38. Louis. Whitnel 39. Nicholas. John 40. Peter. Henson 41. Prosper. Phillip 42. Shillingford. Richmond 43. Shillingford. Wilmot 44. Shillingford. Cumming 45. Shillingford. Bellot 46. Vidal. Pat 47. Lambert. Eleanore 48. Harvey. Nigel 49. Gallion. Albert 50. Maffei. Francisco 51. Durand. Stephen Representation Farmer Farmer Farmer Farmer Farmer Farmer Farmer Farmer Farmer Farmer Farmer Farmer Farmer Farmer Farmer Food and Nutrition Council; Chair Forestry Wildlife & Parks Division; Forest Technician Forestry, Wildlife & Parks; Assistant Forest Officer Forestry, Wildlife & Parks; Forester Forestry, Wildlife & Parks Division; Assist. Forest Officer, Protection Unit 1 Ministry of Health; Nutritionist Ministry of Social Services; Permanent Secretary Ministry of Trade; Trade officer lll National Pig Producers Cooperative; Manager/ Member The Social Centre; CEO Toloma Women in Action, Delices; Secretary Waitukubuli National Trail; Project Manager Waitukubuli National Trail; Promotion and Community Animator Waitukubuli National Trail; Project Officer Youth Development Division; Chief Youth Development Officer elambert@rossmed.edu.dm harven@dominica.gov.dm,nigguie2@h otmail.com forestry@dominica.gov.dm/galliona@d ominica.gov.dm maffeif@dominica.gov.dm durands2@dominica.gov.dm E-mail

52. Titre. Marynese 53. Thomas. Esther 54. George. Mornette 55. Harris. Marcella 56. Cyrille. Norma 57. Hilaire. Rosie 58. Henry. Eddison 59. Paul. Roselyn 60. Royer. Roland 61. Pascal. Jules

mtitre@hotmail.com pssocialservices@dominica.gov.dm foriegntrade@cwdom.dom.dm errolmar@cwdom.dm Social_centre@cwdom.dm dncw@cwdom.dm projectmanager.wntp@cwdom.dm Communityofficer.wntp@cwdom.dm royee22@hotmail.com tccentre@cwdom.dm /julespascal@hotmail.com

28

Dear All,

I would like to join Diane in thanking each and every one of you for your participation and support in making ART at CWA 2011 a success. I would also wish to place on record my heartfelt thanks and appreciation to Diane and her team (Brent, Tsian, Geselle and the IICA T&T Team) for all the hard work, the dedication, the commitment to pull together the ART in very short time given some limitations which were outside of our control. I have to single out the "champion" Diane Francis for once again demonstrating her outstanding creativity and capacity to do so much in so little time. Diane.....you are truly an ARTIST. Your hard work has kept the CaRAPN Network alive and well and we applaud and thank you for your efforts. To all the presenters, moderators and everyone who in anyway contributed, I wish to say thanks on behalf of IICA Caribbean and look forward to your continued support and participation in the future. To our partners - CTA, FAO and CARICOM Secretariat, we welcomed the opportunity to collaborate and thank you for your willingness to work with us in staging the Policy Forum and Round Table sessions. Special thanks to our friend Jos Fonseca of the CTA who has been at our side walking stride for stride with us as we continue this journey......your unstinting support and dedication are greatly appreciated. I also wish to recognize Mrs. Florita Kentish, FAO Sub-Regional Coordinator for the Caribbean for leading the collaboration on behalf of FAO and the contributions of her colleagues and we look forward to even closer relations with FAO as we undertake these activities. We also appreciated the inputs of our friends at the CARICOM Secretariat, the leading regional institution engaged in the policy formulation processes. A special word of appreciation to the IICA Representation in the ECS, more specifically the Representative, Ms. Una May Gordon and the Office in Dominica, Kent Coipel and Maureen Dominique, for the support provided with logistics. Once again thanks to everyone and we look forward to working with you we foster dialogue, the sharing of experiences and networking towards improved policies and agricultural development and food and nutrition security. Gregg C. E Rawlins

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filling the gap

good agriculture policies

CaRAPN . . . a network-in-progress
CaRAPN has/is working, as far as its focus on adding value to agriculture policy and regional consensus-building processes through policy research, communication and information dissemination, CaRAPN is still a network in progress, as far as fostering and strengthening networking among stakeholders in agriculture policy in the region and between the Caribbean and other regions in the ACP. CaRAPN is working to strengthen its networking functions within and outside of the agricultural community in CARICOM. Placing efforts on networking is based on the premise and acknowledgement that agricultural policy networking is important in the Region. consolidate and widen its central hub, establish firm links with existing public, private sector and non-governmental networks in the region and forge relations with similar networks in the African and Pacific regions.

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