GECAFS Workshop on Caribbean Food Systems

1
Agricultural Diversification in the Context of
Caribbean Food Systems

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

2
Types of Diversification

• Species
• Commodity-based
• Product
• Value-added
• Production Systems
• Multi-commodity
• Mono-crop

3
Regional Programmes
Regional Food Plan (RFP)
Regional Food and Nutrition Strategy (RFNS)
Caribbean Community Programmme For Agricultural
Development (CCPAD)
Regional Transformation Programme For
Agriculture (RTP)
4
Objectives

• Economic Diversification
• Structural Transformation
• Food and Nutrition Security
• Access, Availability, Adequacy of Food
• Rural Development and Employment
• Economic Growth and Poverty Alleviation

5
Objectives

• Import Substitution
• Foreign Exchange Savings
• Export Expansion
• Foreign Exchange Earnings
• Risk Management
• Reducing Income Variability
• Pest and Disease Control
• Environmental Sustainability

6
Strategies

• Market Identification and Enhancement
• Technical Support
• Labeling, Packaging, Handling
• Technology Generation and Validation
• Infra-structural Support

7
Strategies

• Research and Product Development
• Marketing
• Product Promotion
• Dissemination of Information
• Prices, Markets, Regulations,
• Policy Support
• Incentives, credit, grades standards

8
Target Commodities

• Root Crops and Tubers
• yam, potato, dasheen
• Fruits and Vegetables
• breadfruit, mango, golden-apples,
• passion-fruit, onion, carrots

9
Target Commodities

• Ornamental Plants and Cut Flowers
• Fisheries/Aqua-culture
• Livestock
• Pork, Poultry, Small Ruminants

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)

11
Constraints

• Inadequate support infra-structure
• Limited availability of credit
• Limited Information Systems
• Lack of incentives/inadequate support policies
• Predial Larceny

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 CARICOMs food imports was sourced from
  outside the Region in 2000.
• Relative decline in the performance of the
  agricultural sector.
• Wide range of commodities produced, albeit in
  relatively small quantities.