EU-funded programme boosting agri producers

Dr. Arlington Chesney, Executive Director, 

Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute

 (CARDI) signs the “Partnership Agreements” 

between IICA and the implementing partners.

28 May 2014. EU-funded programme boosting agri producers. The EU-funded Agricultural Policy Programme (APP) in favour of 15 Caribbean Forum of African Caribbean and Pacific States (CARIFORUM) countries was officially launched in Trinidad.

The APP will focus on the development of small holder agricultural producers and entrepreneurs in order to enhance agriculture in CARIFORUM countries. The EU granted of 8.6M Euros for the APP. This grant is expected to improve productivity and profitability of the region’s small, agri-based producers and entrepreneurs through improved policies and strengthened institutional and development capacity. The APP is also expected to contribute to the wider development goal of household food security in the CARIFORUM countries and the eradication of poverty.

The countries which will benefit are Guyana, Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas; Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname and Trinidad and Tobago. The end beneficiaries include small farmers, fisher-folk, small-scale processors and traders.