CWA opens in Dominica

The 10th Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA) opened in the Commonwealth of Dominica with a call for collaboration among governments and stakeholders to recommend policy measures to reduce poverty, increase food production, formulate fundamental objectives and strategies for adaptation and mitigation to the harmful effects of Climate Change including management practices for the Caribbean’s water supply.

CWA is being hosted from the 9-15 October, 2011 in Dominica under the theme “Caribbean Food and Nutrition Security in a Changing Climate – The Nature Island Experience”. Mr. Michael Hailu, Director of the Technical Centre for Agriculture and Rural Cooperation (CTA) for the African, Caribbean and Pacific countries said Caribbean countries continue to face the challenge of ensuring food security, in the face of threats posed by climate change. He said that the threat is a worldwide one, that is closely related to the growing global population.

“Global food production must rise by 70 per cent if we are to satisfy a population which is forecast to increase from 7 to 9 billion by the year 2050.” Mr. Hailu notes that “climate change adaptation is a priority for ACP countries to meet their development goals and eliminate hunger and poverty”.

While climate change continues to be one of the main topics at the forum, this year’s theme focuses on improving post-harvest knowledge systems through science, technology and innovation. Water management policies and research is also one of the early topics being examined at the workshop, in an effort to help regional farmers realise higher yields while utilising less resources.

The Honourable Ambrose George, Acting Prime Minister of Dominica, in delivering the feature address said “in reviewing our current situation we will be confronted with a new set of challenges that the agricultural sector is experiencing in our region momentarily”.

Speaking at the joint opening ceremony of the climate change and science and technology workshop at Arawak House of Culture, Acting Prime Minister Ambrose explained that “the agricultural sector is vitally important in the gamut of economic and social interactions of the region’s people and that we must therefore examine more closely, the interactions of climate change and the key factors of agricultural production, the rural way of life, as well as the threats to coastal communities and infrastructural investments”.

Dr. Arlington Chesney, Executive Director of the Caribbean Agricultural Research Centre in his remarks said that there is greater need for policy and collaboration among governments and stakeholders to move in the direction of regional food security and nutrition.

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8 Comments

  1. great team work
    October 10, 2011

    Thank you Cardi team for allowing God to use you positively.
    Sharon you are indeed a humble Doer and scientist.
    A No nonsense Woman.
    As with every where God sends her
    She trained and set up the Citrus certification program set up in record time and handed over to empowered persons.
    Now at being used at CARDI to empowering more and more.
    This country NEEDS more humble servants of God like you.

    • Brain Power
      October 10, 2011

      Sharon is a also a person with lots of research experience from her work in Trinidad – the land of her birth. It’s a pity that the Ministry of Agriculture in Dominica could not have her on their team!!

  2. target
    October 10, 2011

    execute command.

    Thanks for being a man and father.

    There are scarce in this land

    • executive command.
      October 10, 2011

      thanks, If you are not being sarcastic

      I cry for my children when I see the attitude of our leaders,

      I always teach them,

      “it is nice to be important, but more important to be nice”.

      jah watch over my family….i pray!!!

  3. Great Move
    October 10, 2011

    Well Done CARDI.
    Agricultural Research and Development are critical foundation pillars if any nation or group of nations are serious about food and water security.

    Governments NEED to INVEST in CARDI.

    Functions like these are fundamental in brainstorming,sharing and peer reviews of information so that evidence based decisions can be made.
    CARDI having pushed for this to happen in Dominica will no doubt have a positive financial impact on the Dominican economy a multiplier effect…hotels, taxis, caterers, VAT, farmers, fishers…

    Well Done CARDI Dominica team

  4. execute command.
    October 10, 2011

    this article got little to no attention simply because of this abbreviation CWA.. something as central and pertinent as this should have a full title admin…don’t you think???? well our contributions never matter to you anyways so……………………………………..

    ADMIN: it is getting no attention simply because it is not political or is not bashing the PM.

    • execute command.
      October 10, 2011

      admin, not even the PM is absolute…..ok, so if I put you as administrator of my estate, does that authorize you to sell my estate without my consent, wouldn’t you find it only ethical and appropriate to consult with me as the owner of the estate??? what value really does peoples rights to be aware and their need to have accountability have to you??? is it of no importance?????….I keep telling you you need a vacation, and you need to speak and study with people who are of broader perspective….i will be the first to agree that there are bashers and ignorant people out there just waiting for the opportunity. but this cannot be grounds for your denial the people of their right to be heard….. If i had known that was the mindset of Dominican People, i would NEVER make children to become enslaved. admin…..answer this one thing for me…..is it impossible for a majority to be wrong??????? when the PM says “the Dominican people” am i not included ?????? when he pledges to support the cause of the moroccan people with their international issues….is he not pledging my support?????? smh admin this function that you are providing, I dont think you understand the magnitude of the power and responsibility you have taken on…….you need to see the latest version of the movie green hornet… I am a brother, I dont just say nay for the sake of saying nay……I HAVE CHILDREN HERE!!!! they will be paying back for the 27 million dollar state house……don’t I have a say???? shouldnt i be interested in chinas attitute toward internet protests???? should i not be interested in the things that are relevant and pertaints to me and my children….is my vote for a master who will just do what he want, how he want at my children expense??? admin, i will just go and shoot my two children MY WOMAN AND MYSELF IF THAT IS WHAT YOU ARE SAYING TO ME……I have no choice than to surrender the bare backs of my own flesh and blood to the dictator admin???

  5. ineedfree
    October 10, 2011

    Food security is not only challenged by weather patterns.

    Food security is challenged by global corporate bodies who buy large areas of land, pay slave labour wages and compete with small island economies to play out their “dumping” world market strategies and reduce competition.

    The weather had no influence in the destruction of the banana production and sales of the caribbean.

    They destroyed the preferential treatment we got as struggling “3rd world” countries.

    Dont waste time and money in conferences that just put blinders on our policy makers and our producers.

    Let’s get real here

    Thank you

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