St. George’s, Grenada – The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) recently collaborated with the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA) and The Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Fisheries and Co-operatives of Grenada to roll out The “Capacity Building and Training” For Farmer’s Organisations in Grenada. The launch and workshop attracted delegates and representatives from FAO, IICA, and Procasur along with 31 representatives of seven farmers’ organisations and held under the Farmers’ Organisations for African, Caribbean, and Pacific Programme (FO4ACP).
In delivering remarks, Vermaran Extavour, FAO’s Value Chain Expert and Co-ordinator for FO4ACP activities in Grenada and St. Lucia indicated, “The farmer organisations form part of the private sector, and their role is more than coming together as farmers, but to work together to access goods, services and markets”.
Gregg Rawlins, IICA Representative for the Eastern Caribbean States (ECS), stated during his opening remarks, “Strengthening farmers’ organisations is at the heart of this project.”
Aaron Francois, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Fisheries and Co-operatives who also attended the event noted, “We in the Ministry of Agriculture are delighted to join FAO and IICA and the funding agencies for this project to contribute to efforts to strengthen farmers’ organizations in Grenada.”
During the event, farmer organisations provided profiles of their organisations and highlighted the constraints and challenges facing their respective organisations. However, Pedro Boareto, FAO’s Project Co-ordinator for the FO4ACP Project in the Caribbean emphasised the importance of maintaining the dialogue and participation throughout the implementation of the activities to assure that any needs of the farmers are addressed efficiently.
Linda Maturine, Secretary of the Carriacou Farmers Association (CFA) who also participated in the event expressed thanks to IICA and especially to FAO for the consultation and training offered for farmer organisations in Grenada, particularly for including Carriacou and Petite Martinique. She stated, “This training was an eye opener and we are looking forward to the benefits that would be given to the Carriacou Farmers Association and the Farmers Organisations in Grenada.”
The FO4ACP Programme is a global initiative that aims to strengthen the Farmers’ Organisations capacity in order to increase incomes and improve livelihoods, food and nutrition security, in the target areas and implemented in the Caribbean by FAO and PROCASUR with the support of IICA. (PR)
