Regional stakeholders in the agriculture policy process meet in Trinidad to develop a medium term strategy for the Caribbean Agricultural Regional Policy Network (CaRAPN) which seeks to support the agriculture policy process in the Caribbean.
July 28, 2010, Port Of Spain, Trinidad …The meeting to develop a Medium Term Strategy for the Caribbean Regional Agricultural Policy Network (CaRAPN) began in Trinidad with a call for an integrated and harmonized regional policy framework towards the reduction of food importation into CARICOM countries.
The three-day day meeting currently underway at the Normandie Hotel and Conference Centre, brings together a broad cross–section of stakeholders including agriculture officials, policy-makers, university students, members of the private sector and communicators. It is being convened with an overall objective to promote and obtain acceptance of CaRAPN, as a central agricultural policy network in the Caribbean, inter alia, establishing the context and platform for strengthening agricultural policy networking in CARICOM in the Medium term (2010-2015) and defining a niche for CaRAPN.
A wide range of key issues and concepts were introduced during the technical opening of the meeting, with specific reference to the regional policy framework in the Caribbean; policy-related institutional issues for implementation; connecting and integrating the development dimensions; mapping agriculture’s institutional environment and communications and networking for development. Open dialogue and active discussions fuelled the proceedings of the day.
Diana Francis, Regional Specialist, Policies and Trade Negotiation Programme, IICA Caribbean and Co-coordinator of the IICA-CTA CaRAPN introduced the network, giving a comprehensive analysis with regards the relevance of networking and CaRAPN’s role as contributing towards improving the institutional capacity for the formulation and implementation of agriculture and food policies.
Professor Norman Girvan, Senior Lecturer, Department of Economics, University of the West Indies, St. Augustine, examined the Single Development Vision (SDV) in the policy context of regional framework and processes. He stressed that integration acts as an operational guide towards achieving self–sustaining and spatially equitable economic growth, development of a full-employment economy, environmental protection and ecological sustainability and democratic, transparent and participatory governance.
He shared two initiatives of the SDV, which entails strategy as it relates to the role of agriculture, its objective and the overarching vision to which all stakeholders in the Caribbean region subscribed. Twp studies currently being carried out are one on the development of a technology support system for the agriculture sector in the Caribbean and another on the development of a Caribbean agrotourism strategy.
Professor Girvan identified the economic drivers of regional growth and transformation, sectors and clusters of activity that are expected to act as engines of growth by creating linkages with other sectors as: energy, agriculture, sustainable tourism, manufacturing and new export services (i.e. non-traditional tourism and services other than tourism). He emphasized innovation, application of new technology, an enabling environment for private sector investment and partnerships as impacting significantly on the drivers mentioned.
Imparting dynamism to a sector is important, among the areas of functional corporation action, sharing services and undertaking joint activities to reduce costs and achieve synergies in social, political and environmental matters to support systematic competitiveness and sustainability in health, human resources development, security, foreign trade policies and research and development.
With respect to policy–related institutional issues for implementation, Gregg C.E. Rawlins IICA’s Representative in Trinidad & Tobago, noted this has been discussed for years, regionally and nationally. He stressed, agriculture is pivotal for food security and suggests policy change and resulting strong policy are prerequisites for agricultural repositioning that is sustained and for the resolution of agricultural-induced crises.
Rawlins said, while it will also add value to the quality of institutional environment to determining the policy process, “integration of international development mandates/obligations into national and regional agendas and the nexus between national development priorities and agricultural policy and regional policy processes and programmes,” are important areas to consider.
He added that participants should be cognizant that the network is not owned by IICA/CTA and challenged the meeting to achieve a workable, practical strategy that can be implemented that takes into account the resource limitations that we face. He stressed the need for coordination and integration among the proliferation of stakeholders, networks and societies clearly defining their role and interface with ‘officialdom’
Dr. Arlington Chesney, Executive Director of the Caribbean Agriculture Research and Development Institute (CARDI), re–affirmed his institution’s commitment to research and development as it relates to the value chain.
Dr. Chesney added that the development of an agriculture policy in the region is a critical component of the research and development institute, in terms of moving the process forward. He recognizes that there were a number of policy initiatives currently ongoing in CARICOM which will provide an overall framework for agricultural development in the context of the Single Development Vision. An agricultural policy network, in this regard, could add value to this process.
He acknowledged that “…there were not enough networks in terms of policy.” Chesney listed some networks formed that were successful, he noted however the emerging need for strengthening networking which captures the changes in the environment, such as the oil crisis, climate change and more recently the food crisis.
“Agriculture is the main economic driver in the development of the region but how do we put policies in place to realize that. We have to ensure that that excitement does not wean, we have to ensure that the network survives,” Chesney said, adding that policymakers should “recognize a role for CSME in the development of the policy for sustainable development in the sector.”
Diane Francis spoke to the issue of connecting and integrating the development dimensions and the importance of the Agromatrix, which promotes a framework for the sustainable development of agriculture and rural communities, incorporating 4 pillars of development: economic, ecological, socio-cultural human and political-institutional. The SDV also takes into consideration a balanced development as in the pillars of the Agromatrix. She stressed the need to connect the dots and carry out interconnected actions in order to achieve the desired goals.
Ms. Francis also spoke about an institutional mapping process with a view to identifying “who is doing what” – to avoid duplication and identifying gaps in order to address to what is needed. The mapping process is also intended to provide a basis for and stimulate collaboration among institutions. “The sharing of information is critical if policy is to happen.” She declared.
Shamin Renwick, Agricultural Librarian of the University of the West Indies, presented a comprehensive overview of networking: its processes, practices and possibilities. Ms. Renwick stressed that CaRAPN cannot be everything to everyone and must follow specific goals and objectives.
Ms. Renwick introduced some of the Information and Communication Tools (Social Media – Web 2.0) that can be used to enhance the networking process and put forward some of the requirements for successful networking.
