GECAFS Workshop on Caribbean Food Systems “ Research Issues Identification” Castries, St. Lucia, 17 – 19 October, 2002 Vincent J. Atkins CRNM/ATNU

17-19 October,2002Agricultural Diversification and Caribbean Food Systems 2 Types of Diversification  Species Commodity-based  Product Value-added  Production Systems Multi-commodity Mono-crop

RegionalProgrammes Regional Programmes Regional Transformation Programme For Agriculture (RTP) Caribbean Community Programmme For Agricultural Development (CCPAD) Regional Food and Nutrition Strategy (RFNS) Regional Food Plan (RFP)

17-19 October,2002Agricultural Diversification and Caribbean Food Systems 4 Objectives  Economic Diversification Structural Transformation  Food and Nutrition Security Access, Availability, Adequacy of Food  Rural Development and Employment  Economic Growth and Poverty Alleviation

17-19 October,2002Agricultural Diversification and Caribbean Food Systems 5 Objectives  Import Substitution Foreign Exchange Savings  Export Expansion Foreign Exchange Earnings  Risk Management Reducing Income Variability Pest and Disease Control Environmental Sustainability

17-19 October,2002Agricultural Diversification and Caribbean Food Systems 6 Strategies  Market Identification and Enhancement  Technical Support Labeling, Packaging, Handling  Technology Generation and Validation  Infra-structural Support

17-19 October,2002Agricultural Diversification and Caribbean Food Systems 7 Strategies  Research and Product Development  Marketing Product Promotion  Dissemination of Information Prices, Markets, Regulations,  Policy Support Incentives, credit, grades & standards

17-19 October,2002Agricultural Diversification and Caribbean Food Systems 8 Target Commodities  Root Crops and Tubers yam, potato, dasheen  Fruits and Vegetables breadfruit, mango, golden-apples, passion-fruit, onion, carrots

17-19 October,2002Agricultural Diversification and Caribbean Food Systems 9 Target Commodities  Ornamental Plants and Cut Flowers  Fisheries/Aqua-culture  Livestock Pork, Poultry, Small Ruminants

17-19 October,2002Agricultural Diversification and Caribbean Food Systems 10 Constraints  Limited Market Sizes  Low levels of productivity  Lack of Competitiveness small farm sizes, high input/labour/production costs, inefficient/inappropriate technology  Unfair competition ( from subsidised imports )

17-19 October,2002Agricultural Diversification and Caribbean Food Systems 11 Constraints  Inadequate support infra-structure  Limited availability of credit  Limited Information Systems  Lack of incentives/inadequate support policies  Predial Larceny

17-19 October,2002Agricultural Diversification and Caribbean Food Systems 12 Results  Low production and export volumes of both traditional and non-traditional crops.  Few agro-processing (valued-added) industries emerging.  Chronic poverty [urban and rural] and limited access to nutritionally adequate foods.

13 Results  Continued heavy dependence on food imports.  82 % of CARICOM’s food imports was sourced from outside the Region in  Relative decline in the performance of the agricultural sector.  Wide range of commodities produced, albeit in relatively small quantities.