FO4ACP Programme initiates a Learning Route to strengthen the entrepreneurial capacities of farmer organizations in St. Lucia

With the theme "Come up in the value chain! Moving the entrepreneurial and associative capacities of peasant organizations", the National Learning Route was launched on Monday, October 16. This activity is part of the Project Farmer Organizations for the ACP, financed by the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) and implemented by FAO and PROCASUR with the support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development in St. Lucia.

The opening ceremony was attended by Mr. Kemuel Jean-Baptiste, Deputy Director of Agricultural Services of St. Lucia, Dr. Aurea King-Cenac, FAO’s National Correspondent, Mr. Juan Moreno, President of PROCASUR and Mr. Pedro Boareto, Programme Coordinator of FO4ACP in the Caribbean.

Pedro Boareto mentioned the importance of this activity to connect the Farmers and their practices and needs under a shared vision, and build a roadmap for FO4ACP's support to organizations, valuing associative capacities for inclusive rural transformation.

The objective of this Learning Route is to increase the business and associative capacities and skills of leaders of rural organizations in the country, promoting their participation in relevant value chains for the segments of small rural production.

Dr. Jean-Baptiste highlighted the importance that the Government of St. Lucia is giving to support and strengthen the Farmers Organizations in the country, recognizing the importance of providing concrete tools for the sustainability of the organizations and their role in reaching the 25% by 2025 Reduction in the Regional Food Bill.

Until Friday, October 19, 12 leaders from 7 Farmers’ Organizations will have the opportunity to learn about good practices such as the one carried out by The Black Bay Farmers and Consumers Cooperative (BBFCC) and The Micoud Chocolate Company (MCC), which will provide details of how they have managed to establish different successful business alliances, have improved their organizational and management practices and how they have managed to access different international markets.

The representative of Procasur indicated that the result of this Learning Route will be the development of an Innovation Plan that “aims to help consolidate and add value to existing initiatives through the implementation and adoption of innovative mechanisms and tools learned during the Route”