On Wednesday 5 December, all CARDI offices across the region will be celebrating CARDI Day under the theme “Celebrating the potential of the region’s coconut industry.”
The date holds special meaning as it is on 5 December 1974 that Caribbean government representatives met in Georgetown, Guyana, to sign the agreement establishing the Institute.
This year the focus will be on highlighting the Institute’s work under the EU – ACP funded Regional Coconut Industry Development Project. Through a series of exhibitions, workshops, public lectures and school tours participants will see first-hand some of the practical ways that the project is breathing new life into one of the region’s oldest industries.
In the last four years, the Caribbean Agricultural Research Development Institute (CARDI) has been implementing a major regional project, working alongside the International Trade Center and stakeholders along the coconut value chain to transition the region’s small-scale operations to enterprise-level profitability in the global coconut industry.
Worldwide, a growing demand for fresh coconut produce is being driven by recent trends in the global food and beverage sector and the health and beauty markets. Caribbean farmers are exploring new ways to get more out of the coconut value chain, converting every part of the iconic tree into marketable assets. But it’s not that simple. For many farmers, issues like pests, disease and limited market access are still severely constraining their ability to make a sustainable living from coconuts.
CARDI is working alongside a number of stakeholders in Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago to help other farmers benefit from the window of opportunity created by an upsurge in global demand.
In Dominica for example, the capacities of 129 persons along the value chain have been enhanced in the production of quality coconut planting material, coconut production technology, development and processing of coconut niche products, entomological risk mitigation and group/cluster development and strengthening.
In Belize, small-scale coconut processor Dona Dougal Sosa took part in a similar series of training modules to learn how to streamline the manufacturing and packaging processes for her line of coconut-based soaps.
In Jamaica, the project has focused on developing farmer’s business skills in order to open up crucial access to financial products and services. A recent collaboration saw the International Trade Centre and the Development Bank of Jamaica providing financial literacy training to several Jamaican producers.
Those kinds of interventions are happening across the region’s coconut value chain, bringing together smallholder farmers and small-scale processors with representatives from finance and other sectors so that they can more easily share technical knowledge and market information.
Barton Clarke, Executive Director of CARDI, says the multi-stakeholder efforts will add up to a more competitive coconut industry for the entire region.
“Through this Regional Coconut Industry Development Project, CARDI is working to improve income and employment opportunities, food security, and overall competitiveness of the Caribbean coconut sector,” Clarke said.
“This project has laid a firm foundation from which growth and expansion of the industry can now be accelerated. CARDI will continue to work alongside national stakeholders, regional actors and international agencies to deepen linkages with players from sectors such as health services, manufacturing, finance and tourism,” said Maurice Wilson, regional project coordinator.
The new DCP importing tallow, spending precious foreign exchange does not help, does it.
Doesn’t hurt either does it?
“Worldwide, a growing demand for fresh coconut produce….” This is true, but as a region we are moving too slowly to capture significant market share in the markets in which we can compete. No market is infinite. It is those who are quick to recognize opportunities and respond with products that people want who will benefit the most. The truth is coconuts have been at our doorstep for centuries and yet we are still trying to figure out what is the next trend. We should be the leaders in setting the pace for a constant stream of innovative coconut based products, not the followers.
Be careful. Gmo.
Replant using local coconut plants only otherwise we lose all to Gmo.
Hope we can see the commencement of the replanting of coconuts which was greatly impacted by Maria.
% will soon post under the Gov’t of LL hahahahahahah we will lol! The Medicine man soon to be President too lol Prevost may want to challenge that & the infighting amongst AHFOUAHWEES.
% boys always amuse us. When an ex-dead president was alive he was addressing his tribe church members at the Methodist church on virgin lane. He began by saying” All the men in the church are doing well.” Thes boys have deep pockets. One began from sell Guayabers Shirtjacks)with Mr G they try fowl feed icecream, supermarket by Trini industries etc to becoming latifundists without putting in roads and other infrastructure.
I was just pursing the headlines and saw CARDI. Had the fast flash thought I saw CARDI D.
I know DA have all kind of artists from fa and near visiting under the invitation of the cabal. My thoughts were Skerro must be bringing down Cardi D for next elections hahahahahahahahaha
Lol hahahahahah meant CADI B. Lil Tim et Al did not even pick that up. You guys are only able to pic up real q buuick to post ur Admin stuff.
ADMIN: We noticed but decided instead to respect your right to free speech – spelling errors and all. We have never been in the habit of editing posters spelling or grammar, but since you seem interested, its CARDI B.
I did b4 you lol. You guys lil Tim et Al wee late guys.
Free speech tickle us readers. It does not apply here .
@laughter… Since u used the D more than once in your comment gave up your age grouping. Most under age 65 knows it’s the B, must be time for your jeritol?? Just an observation..Lol lol