USAID Hosts Workshop to Boost Agricultural Productivity in the Caribbean
Strengthening the capacity of public and private extension service providers took a leap forward on June 11, 2024, when the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in partnership with Improving Economies for Stronger Communities (IESC) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), hosted an enhancement of extension services workshop at the University of the West Indies in Trinidad and Tobago. This workshop provided an update on the USAID Caribbean Agricultural Productivity improvement Activity (CAPA)’s progress, particularly on the results of the extension systems assessment conducted in eight participating countries: Barbados, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. It also highlighted the development of a new training platform for extension services.
Attendees included senior government officials from the Ministry of Agriculture, the University of the West Indies, the Caribbean Development Bank, the World Food Programme, and other partner organizations. They affirmed support that investing in extension systems development is critical to tackle food insecurity. CAPA, a three-year, USAID-funded initiative, will help farmers increase fruit and vegetable productivity; build relationships between buyers, suppliers, and farmers; and improve farm-level extension systems.
Durwin Humphrey, project management specialist at USAID Eastern and Southern Caribbean, spoke about the U.S. Government’s efforts. He highlighted how this partnership supports Caribbean nations in tackling challenges related to extreme weather, energy, food security, and capacity building.
Sandiford Edwards, IESC’s program director for CAPA, provided an update on implementation. He mentioned that 12 demonstration farms have been established in four countries. These farms are helping to train farmers in new production practices and introducing them to new technologies. Other initiatives include farming as a business training and conducting post-harvest trials for root crops.
Daryl Rampersad, president of the Agricultural Society of Trinidad and Tobago, stressed the importance of developing tailored training programs based on the specific needs and challenges of different farming communities. Ric Javed Ali, Deputy Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Land, and Fisheries, highlighted the importance of strengthening extension services. He emphasized that using technology to deliver timely and effective information to farmers is a top priority for the ministry.
CAPA emerged from the Ninth Summit of the Americas and stands as a swift response from the U.S. Government. The program will address food insecurity challenges faced in the region, exacerbated by the fallout from the Russia-Ukraine war, rising food prices, and disruptions to supply chains.
The Caribbean Agricultural Productivity improvement Activity (CAPA) is funded by the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) from the American people. USAID administers the U.S. foreign assistance program providing economic and humanitarian assistance in more than 80 countries worldwide. IESC implements CAPA in partnership with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation (IICA).