FAO and IICA launch capacity-building program activities for farmers' organizations in Grenada

St. George's, Grenada – The Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) recently collaborated with the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and The Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Fisheries and Cooperatives of Grenada to roll out The “Capacity Building and Training” For Farmer’s Organizations in Grenada. The launch and workshop attracted delegates and representatives from FAO, IICA, and Procasur along with 31 representatives of seven farmers' organizations and held under the Farmers' Organizations for African, Caribbean, and Pacific Programme (FO4ACP).

In delivering remarks, Vermaran Extavour, FAO’s Value Chain Expert and Coordinator for FO4ACP activities in Grenada and St. Lucia indicated, “The farmer organizations form part of the private sector, and their role is more than coming together as farmers, but to work together to access goods, services and markets”.

Gregg Rawlins, IICA Representative for the Eastern Caribbean States (ECS), stated during his opening remarks, "Strengthening farmers' organizations is at the heart of this project."

Aaron Francois, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, Fisheries and Cooperatives who also attended the event noted, "We in the Ministry of Agriculture are delighted to join FAO and IICA and the funding agencies for this project to contribute to efforts to strengthen farmers' organizations in Grenada."

During the event, farmer organizations provided profiles of their organizations and highlighted the constraints and challenges facing their respective organizations. However, Pedro Boareto, FAO’s Project Coordinator for the FO4ACP Project in the Caribbean emphasized the importance of maintaining the dialogue and participation throughout the implementation of the activities to assure that any needs of the farmers are addressed efficiently.

Linda Maturine, Secretary of the Carriacou Farmers Association (CFA) who also participated in the event expressed thanks to IICA and especially to FAO for the consultation and training offered for farmer organizations in Grenada, particularly for including Carriacou and Petite Martinique.  She stated, “This training was an eye opener and we are looking forward to the benefits that would be given to the Carriacou Farmers Association and the Farmers Organizations in Grenada.”

The FO4ACP Programme is a global initiative that aims to strengthen the Farmers’ Organizations capacity in order to increase incomes and improve livelihoods, food and nutrition security, in the target areas and implemented in the Caribbean by FAO and PROCASUR with the support of IICA.