Investment in Agricultural Research
Development and Innovation to increase
Business Performance and Competitiveness
Strengthening the Caribbean agri-food private sector
Common Fund for Commodities (CFC)
 The Common Fund for Commodities is an intergovernmental
financial institution established by the United Nations under an
agreement negotiated by the United Nations Conference on Trade
and Development in 1989.
Common Fund for Commodities (CFC)
 It plays a catalytic role in poverty alleviation through commodity-
focused development.
 It assists commodity producing developing countries, and countries
with economies in transition, to meet the challenges of the global
liberalised world economy and to participate in new opportunities.
 The mechanism for facilitating this process includes: Organisational
(SMEs, commodity/thematic groups) Strengthening, Capacity
Building, Technology Transfer and Effective Information Management
Systems.
CARDI’s Approach to the
Strengthening of the Agrifood Sector
 The formulation/implementation of short/medium term initiatives as a
strategic fore-runner to the attainment of the long term goals that are
essential to the sustainability of the sector.
 Collaboration with regional stakeholders to consolidate/make durable
regional demand for inputs, products (primary & processed) & services,
and improve overall production & marketing systems.
 The entire CARDI portfolio is driven by Strategic Axis 1, which
expresses the core functional elements of CARDI’s mandate and is
directly linked to food production.
CARDI’S Principal Short Term
Initiative
 Satisficing local/regional demand for agri-food products & services.
Some say the focus on export markets has compromised initiatives for
the promotion/development of regional markets.
Long Term Initiative
Accessing/Developing International/Global Markets through:
 Increased production & productivity.
 Improved product quality/control standards.
 Sustainable supply systems.
 Increased overall competitiveness with global markets.
Targeted Interventions
 The focus of the CFC funded initiatives within the Caribbean has
been within the Short-Medium Term in which the core
interventions target inter alia:
 Increased Food Production and Productivity
 Increased Competitiveness
 Import Substitution
 Organisational Strengthening and Capacity Building
 Information Sharing
 Technology Transfer
 Value Chain Analysis to facilitate/guide industry development strategy
Current CFC Funded Regional Projects
 Protected Agriculture
 Roots and Tuber
 Small Ruminants
CFC/CARDI Projects
 Increased Production of Vegetables and Herbs through the use of
Protected Agriculture in the Caribbean.
 Increased Production of Root and Tuber Crops in the Caribbean
through the Introduction of Improved Marketing and Production
Technologies.
 Diversification of the Caribbean Livestock Sector through the
Production of Small Ruminants.
CFC/CARDI: Protected Agriculture (PA)
 Location: Haiti, Jamaica, and Trinidad and Tobago
 Duration: 3Years (36 Months)
 CFC Financing: USD 2,010,023
 Total Budget: USD 2,814, 638
 Project Executing Agency: CARDI
 Start Date: 2010
Project Goal
 To Strengthen the Competitiveness of Vegetable Farmers in
the Caribbean engaged in the Production and later the
Export of Fresh Vegetables and Herbs through the use of
Protected Agriculture.
Objectives
 To develop and demonstrate appropriate PA models for improving
the production, productivity, seasonal availability and marketing of
selected vegetables and herbs.
 To improve through demonstration, training and transfer of
technologies the knowledge, skills and competitiveness of PA
producers of selected vegetables and herbs.
 To determine & satisfy the market profile for selected PA produced
vegetables and herbs.
Objectives
 To strengthen and/or expand PA producer groups and value
chain clusters.
 To improve the capacity of trainers and other stakeholders in PA.
 To improve access to information for stakeholders with respect
to PA.
CFC/CARDI: Roots and Tubers (R&T)
 Location: Haiti (LDC), Jamaica, Trinidad/Tobago, St. Vincent and the
Grenadines, Dominica & Barbados
 Duration: 3Years (36 months)
 CFC Financing: USD 2,090,182.50
 Total Budget: USD 3,392,805
 Project Executing Agency: CARDI
 Start Date: 2010
Project Goal
 To support the Development of a Commercially Viable and
Sustainable Regional Root and Tuber Crop Industry in
CARICOM countries that facilitates the Improvement of
Livelihoods and Overall Food Security and Sovereignty.
Objectives
 To increase the demand for fresh and value added products of
the selected root and tuber crops in the local and regional
market.
 To strengthen existing production groups and the formation of
clusters that will improve the activities along the commodity
value chain.
 To improve the knowledge and skill of actors along the value
chain through training in and dissemination of production, post
harvest, processing and marketing techniques.
Objectives
 To produce and distribute high quality planting materials of
cassava, sweet potato and yam through the establishment of
appropriate propagation facilities.
 To demonstrate and as necessary, validate technological
innovations in root and tuber crop production and use.
CFC/CARDI: Small Ruminants
 Location: Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago
 Duration: 4Years (48 Months)
 CFC Financing: USD 1,428,750
 Total Budget: US$ 4,031,000
 Project Executing Agency: CARDI
 Estimated Starting Date: January 2011
Project Goal
 To contribute to the Attainment of Self-Sufficiency in Regional
Meat Consumption initially through the Development of the
Small Ruminant Industry in Jamaica and Trinidad & Tobago.
Objectives

To increase the availability of quality breeding stock at affordable
prices.

To transfer/disseminate technology in the use of improved feeds
& feeding systems.

To increase production of small ruminant meat and ancillary
products by promoting efficient management techniques
information that would improve animal productivity.

To promote/disseminate efficient marketing and processing
systems for meat and by products.

To promote the sustainability of the industry as a whole through
the strengthening of existing producer groups and industry cluster
formation.
Sustainability
 CARDI (as PEA) promotes the use of a Revolving Fund with
additionally opportunities for financial support to the fund by
Government institutions and producer associations.
 To establish a CARICOM Investment Enabling Mechanism
(CIEM).
Thank You