Category: CARDI

Region advancing protocol on Climate Change, Disaster Risk Management in Fisheries

Michelle Nurse Leave a comment
Delegates at the meeting

BELIZE CITY, BELIZE, THURSDAY, 19 April 2018 (CRFM)—Fisheries officials from Member States of the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) met on 18 April, 2018, at the Montserrat Cultural Centre. The meeting was held to review and validate the Draft Protocol to Integrate Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Management in Fisheries and Aquaculture into the Caribbean Community Common Fisheries Policy.

Experts from non-government stakeholders in fisheries/aquaculture, climate change and disaster risk management attended the one-day meeting. They include the Caribbean Network of Fisherfolk Organisations (CNFO), and regional and international organisations such as the Caribbean Community Climate Change Center (CCCCC) and the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO).

The CRFM—the CARICOM agency which works to promote sustainable development of the fisheries and aquaculture sector—is a regional partner on the Climate Change Adaptation in the Eastern Caribbean Fisheries Sector (CC4FISH) Project, funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF); and implemented by FAO. It is under this umbrella that the new initiative is being implemented for the benefit of the CARICOM States. (more…)

Caribbean Fisheries Forum convenes in Montserrat

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Flying fish catch (CRFM photo)

BELIZE CITY, BELIZE, Friday, 13 April 2018 (CRFM)—Once a year, the Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) – an inter-governmental organisation established to promote and facilitate the responsible use of the region’s fisheries resources – convenes a meeting of heads of national fisheries authorities from its 17 Member States. This year, that group of the Caribbean technical experts who make up the Caribbean Fisheries Forum will meet for two days in Montserrat.

The CRFM will convene the 16th Meeting of the Caribbean Fisheries Forum on Monday, 16 April and Tuesday, 17 April, 2018, at the Montserrat Cultural Centre in Little Bay, Montserrat. International and regional partner organisations, observers and stakeholders from the fisheries and aquaculture sector have also been invited to the event, organised in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Trade, Lands Housing and the Environment (MATHLE) in Montserrat.

Speakers at the opening ceremony will include Hon. David Osborne, Minister of Agriculture, Trade, Lands, Housing and the Environment, and Milton Haughton, Executive Director of the CRFM. Ms. Avery Galbraith-Smikle, Director of the Aquaculture Branch of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in Jamaica, will also address the gathering. (more…)

Regional Poultry Association keen on achieving CSME goals

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Dr. Desmond Ali, Executive Director of the Caribbean Poultry Association (CPA), (fifth from right), makes a point during the discussions as CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General, Trade and Economic Integration, Mr. Joseph Cox, CARICOM Programme Manager, Agriculture and Industry, Ms. Nisa Surujbally, CARICOM Director, Single Market and Sectoral Programmes, Dr. Richard Brown and CARICOM Agricultural Trade Specialist, Mr. Nigel Durrant listen

A team from the CARICOM Secretariat met members of the CARICOM Poultry Association (CPA) on Monday, April 9, 2018, to ascertain how the two sides could work together to achieve the goals of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME).

The CPA’s mandate is to promote the socio-economic development of the Region through the development, growth and expansion of the Caribbean poultry industry and to create linkages.

The meeting at the CARICOM Secretariat in Georgetown, Guyana, was an opportunity for the CPA to share its vision, progress and challenges in the industry. The meeting was held at a time when the Secretariat is continuing efforts to broaden the conversation with the Region’s Private Sector to optimise the latter’s output and sustainability.

With much emphasis placed on food security, rural development and the reduction of the Region’s $4B food import bill, the meeting was timely for both parties. Poultry meat accounts for more than 80 per cent of meat consumed in the Region. Most of the poultry meat and eggs consumed within CARICOM comes from CPA member organisations, with self-sufficiency hovering at about 67 per cent for meats and close to 100 per cent for eggs. The industry produces about 243 000 metric tonnes of poultry, 122 million dozen eggs per year, accounts for the employment of more than 100,000 persons and annual sales of US$660M.

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Barbados raises mandate for action on NCDs

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(Photo via Barbados Government Information Service)

The Permanent Mission of Barbados to the Organisation of American States (OAS) is leading the process to secure an ambitious political mandate for the response to non-communicable diseases (NCDs) in the Americas.

At a joint session of the OAS Permanent Council and the Inter-American Council for Integral Development, which was convened in Washington, on March 19, at the request of the Permanent Mission of Barbados, the attendees examined presentations by the Pan American Health Organisation (PAHO) on the increasing social and economic burden of NCDs on countries in the hemisphere.

Chairman of the Healthy Caribbean Coalition, Sir Trevor Hassell, also briefed Member States on the extent and impact of NCDs in the Caribbean.  He submitted that the sub-region was disproportionately impacted by the diseases.

In his statement to the joint session, Barbados’ Permanent Representative to the OAS, Ambassador Selwin Hart in describing the economic impact of NCDs reasoned that significant resources were being directed towards costly secondary and tertiary treatment for the epidemic.

Read more at: Barbados Government Information Service

World Bank approves US$25 million for Dominica’s agricultural sector

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What was left of a greenhouse in Dominica after Hurricane Maria hit

The Agriculture sector in Dominica is to benefit from a US$115 million special World Bank Program for Dominica which will also benefit other sectors of the economy.

Prime Roosevelt Skerrit said on state-owned DBS Radio on Tuesday morning that 40 million dollars of that money had been approved for housing and 25 million dollars for agriculture and he expects that Minister of Agriculture will soon speak to the public in greater detail.

“It is very extensive and if properly implemented, it could benefit agriculture dramatically in Dominica resuscitation and the revitalization of these agricultural centres where you’re probably getting plants and providing support, tangible support to farmers. You’ll be providing farmers with direct support on the farms,” the prime minister stated.

Read more at: Dominica News Online