IESC’s Newest Program Will Increase Food Security in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean
August 10, 2023
IESC is excited to announce the launch of a new three-year USAID-funded program in the Eastern and Southern Caribbean (ESC) that will improve food security and strengthen farmer livelihoods. The $5.3 million Caribbean Agricultural Productivity Improvement Activity (CAPA) will help farmers and stakeholders in the fruit and vegetable industry by promoting the use of market-driven agricultural practices and technologies, which will also make it easier to connect with domestic and regional markets.
Russia’s war in Ukraine has worsened global food security. In the Eastern and Southern Caribbean, food prices and the cost of agricultural inputs have spiked, and smallholder farmers are unable to produce enough food to meet local and regional demand. Extreme weather and difficulties in accessing inputs and buyers are making things even more challenging for them.
This activity will enhance the knowledge, skills, and access of small-scale farmers to agricultural inputs and technologies, with an emphasis on women and youth. IESC will work with lead farmers, local expertise, and CARICOM institutions to promote improved agricultural practices and technologies.
Additionally, CAPA will enhance the connections with domestic and regional markets for smallholder farmers as well as agro-processors. This will be achieved by helping farmers meet quantity and quality requirements, establishing formal agreements with buyers, and improving their bankability to access financial services.
With our partner the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation (IICA), CAPA will also develop agricultural extension training programs, strengthen online training content, and provide capacity building at national and regional levels to enhance both public and private sector extension systems.
IESC will take an integrated approach across the entire agricultural value chain, involving stakeholders at every stage from seed to fork. This includes farmers, input suppliers, extension workers, aggregators, processors, wholesalers, exporters, retailers, and CARICOM institutions. By engaging all of these relevant stakeholders, IESC aims to achieve meaningful outcomes under CAPA.
Over the three-year Activity, IESC and partner IICA will promote the adoption of sustainable farming practices, foster mutually beneficial relationships throughout the value chain, improve farm-level extension systems, and increase the availability of nutritious fruits and vegetables locally and regionally. These efforts will lead to higher incomes, reduced poverty, and improved food security in the region.
The Caribbean Agricultural Productivity Improvement Activity (CAPA) is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development. The U.S. Agency for International Development administers the U.S. foreign assistance program providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide. Improving Economies for Stronger Communities (IESC) implements the Activity in partnership with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation (IICA).
