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ISSN 1991-2315 CaRC/TT-01/09

Information today for Agriculture tomorrow Vol. 14, No. 1, 2009

The future of agriculture

has never looked rosier
Cocoa can provide new and innovative
solutions to consumers' demand for 'live
longer' and 'look younger' food and non-
food products, and can be used to develop
a whole new value added industry. It is
opportunities such as these that provide
the basis for some new fresh thinking at
fora such as the Summit of the Americas...
In this Issue...
The focus is on countries and agricul-
ture in the Americas as the fifth hemi-
spheric platform for dialogue - the
Summit of the Americas - takes place
in Trinidad and Tobago in April. A point
to be underscored is that regardless of
size, resource endowments, stage of
development and trade and economic
relations, agriculture is of strategic eco-
nomic importance to the development of
these 34 countries of the Americas. The
main political, trade and economic rela-
tionships and a snapshot of agriculture
in the Southern Americas are also high-
lighted to underscore the commonality
of development issues in the Americas.
However, agriculture’s importance is not
so evident in the agendas and emerging
January – April 2009, Vol. 14, No.1, ISSN-1991-2315 CaRC/TT-01/09
declarations of the previous four Summits.
The feature on the Agro-matrix, a frame-
work which promotes a more holistic and
broad-based approach to development,
provides a backdrop for the process of
positioning agriculture and rural life issues
on the Summit agenda. Stakeholders must
play an active role in defining the agendas,
focusing the dialogue, ensuring consensus
and implementing the resulting decisions.
The Summit process does not belong to
the Heads of State and Governments, it
belongs to the people of the Americas,
especially the most vulnerable, poor and
marginalised, on whose behalf the Summit
is conducted, decisions are made and re-
sources mobilised.
Also inside are opinions that emphasise the
need to keep agricultural development on the
front-burner of the Summit process, briefs
on actions taken to coordinate agricultural
policy in the regions of the Americas, and an
indication of how agriculture contributes to
the sustainable development goal, using the
cocoa industry as an example.
The development process does
not end after a Summit concludes. How it
continues and what impact it makes beyond
the months-long preparations and the two or
three days of meetings is also up to all of us!
Be informed, get empowered, stay involved
and demand accountability. For agriculture,
the process continues in Jamaica in October
with the Ministerial Meeting.

Integrating in one space - ‘the Americas’ 2 Coordinating Agriculture Policy in the Americas 11
Agriculture in the South Americas 4 The future of Agriculture has never looked Rosier 12
The Fifth Agenda: Agriculture for Action 6 Opinions and Perspectives on Positioning Agriculture Recent 13
Visioning Agriculture and Rural Life in the Americas 8 Publications 14
The Summits and the Agriculture Agenda 10 The Dialogue continues, for Agriculture, in Jamaica 16

From 2008, ‘the Americas’ was the subject of
much interest as the Caribbean prepared to
host the Fifth Summit of the Americas in April
2009. While all CARICOM countries are part of
the Americas, our knowledge of our neighbours
on the continent, apart from Belize, Guyana and
Suriname, is limited.
Although ‘the Americas’ comprises sev-
eral other countries, politically, it usually refers
to the 34 of the 35 independent and democrati-
cally-elected countries, stretching from Alaska
in the North to Argentina in the South, excluding
Cuba. They are sub-divided into four geographical
regions – North America, Central America, South
America and the Lesser and Greater Antilles that
make up of the chain of islands on the eastern
border of the Caribbean Sea. Their combined
population accounts for 15% of the world total.
Countries of ‘the Americas’ have a long
history of cooperation for economic and social development. Per-
haps the most well recognised symbol of such cooperation is the
Organisation of American States (OAS) founded on 30th April
1948 in Bogotá, Colombia, among 21 countries. Since then, the
OAS has expanded to include the nations of the Caribbean, as well
as Canada.
The Summit of the Americas (SoA) has
become another well known symbol and
process of inter-American cooperation. The
earliest Presidential Summit was held in July
1956, among leaders of 19 countries at Pan-
ama City, Panama to promote development
and peaceful relations in the Americas. That
meeting helped to lay the groundwork for the
creation of the Inter-American Development
Bank (IDB), another symbol of cooperation in
‘the Americas’.
After a twenty-seven year hiatus, the Sum-
mit process was re-activated in Miami in 1994
among Governments of the Americas to dis-
cuss common issues and seek solutions to
common economic, social or political prob-
lems. Cuba was still excluded. One of the most
important initiatives to emerge from the Miami
Summit was the agreement to create a Free
Trade Area of the Americas (FTAA). Work towards the FTAA
dominated the Summit agenda until it lost momentum at the
fourth summit, in Mar del Plata, Argentina, in 2005. Since then,
countries have engaged in bi-lateral or bloc-to-bloc
negotiations.

2
There are several integration blocs among the 34 countries that make up ‘the Americas’:
• CACM - Central American Common Market - a trade to include Mexico in 1994. On signing, it became the world’s largest
organisation, was established by a 1960 treaty between Guatemala, regional free trade area and the world’s first economic integration of its
Honduras, Nicaragua and El Salvador, Costa Rica (joined in 1963), kind between two industrialised high-income economies and a semi-
Belize and Panama (observer status in some areas). industrialised economy (Mexico).
• Andean Pact – a trade bloc formed in 1966 among Bolivia,
• Mercosur - Mercado Común del Sur (Spanish for Com-
Chile, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru, to develop regional industries in
mon Market of the South), a regional trade organisation formed in
the context of a common market. Chile subsequently left the Pact and
1991 to establish a common market and a common trade policy for
Venezuela joined.
third countries. Mercosur has five member countries, Argentina, Brazil,
• CARICOM – Caribbean Common Market, formed among
Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela. Bolivia, Chile, Colombia, Ecuador
14 English-speaking Caribbean states under the 1973 Treaty of Cha-
and Peru are associate members.
guaramas establishing the Caribbean Community, after the break-up
of the West Indies Federation (1958-62) and the dissolution of 1968 • G-3 - Group of Three, a third generation free trade agree-

Caribbean Free-Trade Agreement. Full members are Antigua & Bar-
buda, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica,
Montserrat, St. Kits & Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent & the Grenadines,
Suriname and Trinidad & Tobago; Associate members are Anguilla,
British Virgin Islands and Turks & Caicos. Aruba, Bermuda, Cayman
Island, Colombia, Dominican Republic, Mexico, Netherlands Antilles,
Puerto Rico and Venezuela have observer status. The Bahamas is a
member of the community but not the common market.
• ALADI - Asociación Latino Americana de Integración
(Latin American Integration Association also known as LAIA) is
a Latin American trade integration association, based in Montevideo,
Uruguay, established in 1980 to establish a common market to pursue
the economic and social development of the region.
• NAFTA - North American Free Trade Association -was
signed between the United States and Canada in 1989 and extended
ment between Colombia, Mexico and Venezuela that came into effect
on January 1, 1995, to liberalise trade and foster investment, services,
government purchases, regulations to fight unfair competition and in-
tellectual property rights in the extended market of 149 million consum-
ers.
• ALBA - Bolivarian Alternative for the People of Our
Americas - between Cuba and Venezuela signed in Havana on De-
cember 14, 2004. Bolivia joined in April, 2006 and Dominica, the only
English-speaking and only CARICOM country, joined in January 2008.
It is presented as the alternative to the US-led FTAA.
• DR-CAFTA - a landmark Free Trade Agreement among the
United States-Dominican Republic-Central America (Costa Rica, El
Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua) – came into effect when
Costa Rica approved the DR-CAFTA in October 2007.

In addition to these integration blocs, countries of ‘the Americas’ also have trade and economic relationships with each other, such as the
CARICOM-Canada agreement (CARIBCan), the US-Caribbean Basin Initiative (CBI), and the CARICOM-Venezuela agreement. Some
countries are also members of more than one bloc, such as Belize in both CARICOM and the CACM, Dominica in both CARICOM and
ALBA and Venezuela in both Mercosur and ALBA.
Asymmetry within the Americas is very evident. Of the 34 countries, two have dominated economically -the US and Canada.
They are also the two main donors within the hemisphere. Canada is currently the largest bilateral donor in the Commonwealth Carib-
bean and the second largest in Haiti. Among the Latin American countries, three are described as emerging economic powers – Brazil,
Mexico, and Argentina. Also Chile has been the fastest growing economy in Latin America over the last 15 years and is regarded as a
model of economic stability. Reports are that the period 2002 to 2008 represented the best economic performance for Latin America in
40 years. Rapid GDP growth, driven in part, by trade and investment, was accompanied by a drop in poverty, improved income distribu-
tion in some countries and job creation. The rest of countries of the Americas represent a mix of medium-sized and a number of small
economies, such as, in CARICOM.
Agriculture has been of historic importance to all countries of the Americas, individually and as integrating units. The impor-
tance that the US and Canada place on their agriculture is well evident in the extent of domestic support and subsidies provided to their
farm and agribusiness sectors. The US’s reluctance to substantially reduce its supports and subsidies was a major factor in the failure
of the FTAA negotiations. Brazil has emerged as an agricultural superpower in global food and agricultural markets as a result of its
economic and trade stability and regulatory reforms that encouraged investment in agriculture. Investment is a key pillar of the Summit
agenda and the various integration blocs.
Despite the differences in development philosophy, resource endowments, stage of economic development, the Summit of the
Americas is the only hemispheric platform that provides equal opportunity and representation for heads of state and governments of the
34 countries to define and agree on an Inter-American development agenda built on common goals, coordinated policies, commitment
and partnerships, including commitment to improve the situation for agriculture.

3
 Agriculture in the South Americas
Argentina, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Paraguay, Peru, Uruguay
Agriculture in the South American countries is as
diverse as the countries themselves. Most of the ag-
ricultural and livestock production is for domestic mar-
kets and subsistence. Agricultural production, exports
and marketing account for a substantial part of the busi-
ness landscape, large proportions of the labour force and
on average, about 12% of the gross domestic product
(GDP). Agricultural products range from large varieties
of fruit and vegetables, diary, meat, livestock, fish and
more. The fishing and forestry industries are relatively
small and orientated towards domestic markets. How-
ever, agriculture has been the fastest growing sec-
tor in the economy for over a decade even in some
economies where the share of agriculture in GDP is
small, such as Brazil and Chile. Growth has been driven
by major investment opportunities for commercial enter-
prises and also for large numbers of smallholders.
Of the group, Bolivia is considered to be one
of the poorest and least developed in Latin America,
characterised by political instability and racial ten-
sions over the 2003-2005 period. Agriculture, led by
soybeans, coffee, coca, cotton, corn, sugarcane, rice,
potatoes and timber, is an important sector, accounting
for about 16% of the Bolivian economy in the 1990s.

Brazil has emerged as an agricultural superpower in global food and agricultural markets. Over the past decade, Brazil, the world’s
11th largest economy, has consolidated its position as an important agribusiness producer and major food supplier to international markets.
Brazilian agriculture has benefited from currency devaluations, low production costs, rapid technological advancements, and domestic and
foreign investment to expand production capacity. Brazil exports agricultural and food products to most countries of the world, including
large markets in the European Union (EU) and the United States (US). But soaring demand in China has been at the root of much of Brazil’s
export growth.
Production agriculture accounted for 10% of its GDP in 2005, but with the associated supply chain, the agro-food sector (produc-
tion agriculture, processing, and distribution) accounts for nearly 27% of total exports and employs 18 million people, equivalent to 37%
of the labour force. The agro-food sector, which was valued at US$254 billion in 2005, accounted for 28% of the country’s GDP. Brazil’s
agro-food sector accounted for over two-thirds of its total trade surplus in 2005.
Brazil is an important producer and the largest exporter of sugar, ethanol, beef, poultry meat, coffee, orange juice, and tobacco.
It is a very competitive exporter of soybeans, soymeal, sugar, poultry, beef, coffee, tobacco, frozen concentrated orange juice and soyoil.
Brazil, a pioneer in biofuels production, is a world leader in using fuel ethanol in the transport sector. Export earnings have financed imports
of wheat (growing conditions are poor) and, on occasion, corn (for feed in the expanding poultry sector). At US$27.5 billion, Brazil’s agro-
food trade surplus was the largest in the world. Brazil’s success in world markets has given U.S. farmers a powerful competitor.
Agriculture in Brazil still has plenty of room to grow. Brazil is using only one-third of its potential arable land. No nation on
earth is in a better position to respond to global demands. Only Brazil has a massive untapped frontier capable of producing the food,
fibre and bio fuel energy the world will demand.
Sources: http://agbrazil.com/invest_module.htm; http://ers.usda.gov/AmberWaves/November06/Features/Brazil.htm

Chile has been the fastest growing economy in Latin America during the last 15 years since its return of democracy in 1990. Chile’s
main industries are mining (copper, gold, silver), manufacturing (food-processing, chemicals, wood and paper) and agriculture (fruits, wine,
sea products). The agricultural sector, in conjunction with related downstream activities, has played a key role in Chile’s economic success.
The sector is strategically more important than its 4% share of GDP would suggest. The share of primary agricultural trade (i.e. exports plus
imports) in agricultural GDP averaged 30% during the period of military government (between 1973 and 1990), reached 60% between 1990
and 1998 and has averaged more than 80% since 1999. Growth of agricultural and agribusiness exports has accelerated in recent years,
as new exports, such as pork, poultry and dairy products have been added to earlier growth sectors, such as, wine and fresh fruit. Chile has
succeeded in diversifying the destinations of its agro-food exports. In the four years to 2005, 30% of agro-food exports went to the US and
Canada, 25% to Europe and 26% to Asian countries and 18% to Latin American markets.
Chile’s agricultural and agro-industrial sector has been extremely successful in adding value to the production of pri-
mary commodities and processed products, such as, wine and fruits account for a similar share of GDP. Since 1990, Chile’s agricultural
policies have centred around three main objectives: 1) increasing competitiveness; 2) achieving more balanced agricultural development
by better integrating poorer less competitive farmers into commercial supply chains and 3) reconciling these objectives with goals related
to conservation of the environment and the sustainable use of resources. Government expenditures on agriculture have more than trebled
in real terms over the past ten years. Spending by the Ministry of Agriculture has increasingly been complemented by the outlays of other
ministries and associated agencies mainly, in order of importance, on irrigation; productivity improvement and skills development (including
preferential credit); rural development; soil recovery; R&D, training and extension; sanitary and phyto-sanitary standards; and marketing
and promotion.
Source: www.oecd.org/dataoecd/16/32/40268283.pdf

4
 Argentina’s wealth has traditionally come from ranching and grain growing and agricultural commodities continue to be a main-
stay of Argentine exports. The main production and exports are cereals, dominated by soybean wheat and sorghum, as well as rice and
barley mainly for domestic consumption. Argentina is the world’s leading exporter of soybean products—soy oil and soy meal and fifth
exporter of wheat. Meat and meat products is one of the most important export products, followed by poultry, pork and sheep and goat.
Milk and dairy production and exports are also important. Lemon, apples and pears are the most important fruit products, with relatively
large production of peaches, grapes and other citrus fruits. Vegetables, mainly potatoes, onions and tomatoes are widely grown and al-
most exclusively for domestic market. Other important products include sweet potato, pumpkins, carrots, beans, peppers, garlic, tobacco,
peanuts, tea, corn and wheat. In 1990, Argentina enacted important political and economic reforms that began to stabilise the economy
and create a more liberal policy regime favourable to agricultural investment, production and exports. Following these reforms, imports
and use of agricultural inputs increased dramatically. Farmers have invested heavily in new cutting edge technologies that improve
yields, accelerate planting and harvesting and facilitate delivery to the elevator. In the past decade, Argentina’s government and private
investors have undertaken a number of projects to improve or modernise road conditions, rail networks, waterways and export terminals.
Argentina has yet to fully develop its agricultural resources and it is expected that the economic and political reforms have improved the
investment climate, unleashing a reservoir of latent comparative advantage in the country’s agricultural sector.
Sources: www.argentour.com/en/argentina_economy/agriculture.php; www.ers.usda.gov/publications/wrs013/wrs013c.pdf

AGRICULTURE IN URUGUAY AGRICULTURE IN COLOMBIA

Uruguay’s economy is highly dependent on agriculture
which accounts for almost 10% of the country’s GDP and
is the biggest foreign exchange earner. Mineral and energy
resources are limited. Pastures, covering almost four-fifths of
the land area support large herds of livestock reared for meat,
leather goods and wool. Sheep and cattle rearing are two of the
most important economic activities. Wool and beef, as well as
livestock products and skins and hides, account for about two-
fifths of Uruguay’s export income, although agriculture makes
up less than one-tenth of the GDP. With the major emphasis
on livestock, little arable land has been available for cultivation.
Major crops include rice, wheat, corn, oranges, sugar cane and
sunflower seeds. The grape harvest sustains a modest wine in-
dustry. Uruguay’s commercial fishing expanded significantly in
the 1970s and 1980s, although
the fleet remains small by inter-
national standards. About half
of the catch is exported. Major
manufactures include processed
foods, beverages and tobacco
products.
Source: ww.britannica.com/EB-
checked/topic/620116/Uruguay
Colombia is the fifth largest economy in Latin America with a
thriving business environment, transparent legal framework and
growing private sector despite significant social problems. Around
40% of the country’s land is used for agriculture, which contributes
to roughly 12% of overall GDP. A little over 20% of the workforce is
employed in the agricultural sector. Agriculture is mainly dominated
by coffee growing. Colombia is the 2nd world largest exporter of cut
flowers and the third largest grower of bananas. Other major prod-
ucts are rice, tobacco, corn, sugarcane, cocoa beans, oilseed, veg-
etables, shrimp and forest products. The agri-food and processed
food sector has seen solid growth since the 1990s due to rapid ur-
banization and a demand for convenient, processed food. Although
there is a local processed food sector, most of the supply comes
from imported sources, mainly from the
US. Colombia ranks solidly with the
group of progressive, industrialising
countries worldwide that have well-
diversified agriculture, resources,
and productive capacities.
Source: http://ats.agr.gc.ca/lat-
in/3854_e.htm#9

AGRICULTURE IN PERU
Peru’s climate and different
geographical zones make it an
important agricultural nation. Of
the 120 domesticated plants Peru
has provided the world, the potato
is the most important. There are
more than 3,000 varieties of pota-
toes found in Peru, making it the world’s genetic centre for the
crop. Other important crops include sugarcane, coffee and cotton,
with Peru producing 2 of the world’s finest strains of cotton: Pima
and Tanguis. In addition, the UNDP estimates that the Andean
and jungle food baskets include important vegetables and fruits
that are relatively unknown but high in vitamins and proteins.
Peru is an international leader in fishing, producing nearly
10% of the world’s fish catch. Peru exported more than US$1
billion in fish products in 2000, most of it as fishmeal, and fished
nearly 10 billion tons, making fishing the second-most important
industry after mining.
Source: www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Americas/
Peru-AGRICULTURE.html
AGRICULTURE IN PARAGUAY
Paraguay’s productive agri-
cultural sector makes the na-
tion practically self-sufficient in
food products. Almost half of the
nation’s workforce is in agriculture
and particularly subsistence farm-
ing. Agriculture provides 28% of its
GDP, but 45% of the population actually depends on agriculture
and subsistence farming. This agricultural activity utilizes less than
6% of the nation’s most arable land. Important agricultural products
include soybeans and cotton, coffee, corn, rice, wheat, citrus fruits,
sugarcane and peanuts. Though pigs, sheep, horses and chickens
are reared, by far the most important livestock is cattle. Meat, dairy
products, and hides are used both domestically and for export. Tim-
ber is another important export. Though Paraguay has utilised its
rivers for transport, it has not yet developed a commercial fishing
industry to tap into the abundance of fish.
Source: www.nationsencyclopedia.com/economies/Americas/Par-
aguay-AGRICULTURE.html
 The Fifth Agenda: Agriculture for Action
Challenge to position Agriculture at the top of the Summit Agendas
Condensed from an article by Dr. Kris Rampersad, Media, Cultural & Literary Consultant, Trinidad

Central positioning of agriculture in the region is key to achieve all of the three basic aspects of the theme
on which the draft Port-of-Spain Summit Declaration is to be hinged. But it is questionable whether the
linkages between and among the themes and the place of agriculture as pivotal to their success has been
adequately fully grasped.
The Fifth Summit of the Americas takes place in Port of
Spain Trinidad between April 17 to 19 2009. It is chal-
lenged to place agriculture centre stage on its agenda
for ‘Securing our Citizen’s Future by Promoting
Human Prosperity, Energy Security and Environmental
Sustainability’. Central positioning of agriculture in the
region is key to achieve all of the three basic aspects
of the theme on which the draft Port-of-Spain Sum-
mit Declaration is to be hinged. But it is questionable
whether the linkages between and among the themes
and the place of agriculture as pivotal to their success
has been adequately fully grasped.
Food security is identified as a priority area in
the Draft Declaration. Under the theme of Human Secu-
rity, it is spelled out in the proposed actions as: “Take an
active role, working in partnership with the international
community, to develop and implement comprehensive
policies and programmes to resolve the challenge of
feeding people,” (Para. 14) and “Adopt strategic ac-
tions to facilitate the implementation of the AGRO Plan
2015.” (Para. 15) But there seems to be little recogni-
tion in the draft of the thematic linkages – how public
security hinges on food security and human prosperity.
More nebulous, too, is the place agriculture will occupy
in relation to energy security and a regional programme
for alternative energy from bio fuels, for instance, as
was adopted in Mandate 33 of the Fourth Summit: “To
favour … adoption of renewable and efficient energy
sources and the deployment of technology for cleaner
and more efficient energy sources, including … those
that foster the intensive use of labour, which, together
with the promotion of sustainable development, and
addressing climate change concerns, permit the reduc-
tion of poverty.”
Implicit in this, was the mandate, relevant to
Trinidad, the host of the Fifth Summit, for instance, to
diversifying its energy sector by developing agriculture
which spiral effects will include sustainable environ-
mental practices that could positively impact on climate
change. Yet, Trinidad and Tobago’s economy and de-
pendent social environment is still precariously hitched
to the energy sector, and agriculture’s economic status
remains virtually invisibly. After 65 themes and 649
mandates, as identified by Trinidad and Tobago’s Min-
ister of Foreign Affairs at the 2008 OAS General As-
sembly in Colombia, “there are still 190 million people
living in poverty with 70 million of those people being
indigent and facing hunger… (and) escalating food
prices now pose the threat of sending some 26 million more people into poverty
in the Hemisphere.”
At the Fourth Summit, civil society prioritised agriculture action to focus
on: increasing emphasis on the problematic of rural employment, rather than fo-
cusing on the proposals from the field of urban employment; underscore the great
importance of peasant activities in the region and the necessity of implementing
specific policies that address the reality of this universe.
Drawing from recommendations by civil society groups across the
Hemisphere for emphasis, translating past Summit mandates into specific,
realistic, measurable and enforceable policies, Trinidad and Tobago’s Minister of
Foreign Affairs reemphasised that “after 65 themes and 649 mandates, I daresay
that we don’t need a general, broad brushed, normative declaration. The Govern-
ment of Trinidad and Tobago is of the view that, as far as is possible, we must set
out very specific measures that can make a real difference in the years ahead.”
But is the Fifth Summit set to do this?
The ultimate challenge of the Fifth Summit of the Americas will be in its
setting of a regional agenda that fully integrates agriculture in its catalytic role for
regional prosperity, energy security, environmental sustainability and public secu-
rity. This will provide the basis on which it can leverage the internation-
al agenda and so give the region’s specific agricultural concerns
the necessary visibility vis-à-vis other regions and international
agenda. Essentially, in the implementation-oriented Fifth
Summit envisaged by the Host Govern-
ment, agricultural concerns must be
more clearly detailed within identi-
fied priorities which include labour
and employment, health, educa-
tion, technological development,
trade and investments, gender
equity and social inclusion. These all
have implications for human prosper-
ity, energy security and environmental
sustainability. Neglect in doing so will
position the Fifth Summit on a virtually
ineffectual path as the four previous
Summits which are still playing catch
up with the some 649 commitments,
many of them unimplemented to
date.

6
 Securing Agriculture WILL Secure our Citizens’ future
Agriculture, more than any single economic activity contributes in a profound, direct,
meaningful and mutually-reinforcing manner to the achievement of human prosperity, energy
security and environmental sustainability. Let us count the ways.
Agriculture is key to promoting…......

…..human prosperity …..energy security …..environmental sustainability

Promote Human Prosperity:
Human prosperity begins with human health! As the first source of food, agriculture, and through its upstream industries, is the start
of the chain to promoting human prosperity. Human prosperity means different things to different people. It also depends on different
factors. But the bottom-line is that agriculture provides the food to start the wellness that fuels productive work to improve quality of life.
For millions of people in the Americas, wellness is seriously affected by health challenges, mainly non-communicable diseases such as
diabetes, cardiovascular disease and cancer. Such health challenges are worsened by poor nutrition. Poor nutrition is a result of both
lack of access to adequate food and over-consumption of certain types of foods. . Human health is inextricable linked to access and
consumption of safe and nutritious foods. A vibrant and strong agriculture must be seen as an essential and firm foundation to build hu-
man prosperity. Wellness is essential to take advantage and maximise the benefits of good education, decent work and access to water,
sanitation and other basic social infrastructure, services and programmes.

Promote Energy Security:

Energy supplies can only be secure if they are renewable! Agricultural crops are being targeted as a major source of a secure, low
carbon, renewable energy system built on bio-fuels. The world is fully dependent on energy for trade, transport, business, entertain-
ment, medicines, social services and more. But the world is now caught up in an ‘energy crisis’ from declining reserves of fossil fuels
and adverse environmental impacts of excessive use of such fuels. Meeting this energy challenge will require a concentrated focus on
alternative sources, such as the sun, hydro-energy, bio-fuels and others. For bio-fuels, agriculture has come under intense attention,
particularly the products with long-standing and positive track records, such as, sugarcane. New and innovative technologies are also
exploring other aspects of agro-based energy, such as, celluosic ethanol technology. Agro-energy can contribute to the world energy
supply without threatening food security if it is based on non-cereal resources, such as, sugarcane, oil palm, cellulosic biomass, agricul-
tural waste and jatropha, among others, for the production of bio-fuels. Agricultural crops have enormous potential of renewable fuels
for global energy security, environment and economic well-being.

Promote Environmental Sustainability:

Environmental sustainability is an absolute pre-requisite for economic and social progress and political stability. Filling the
agriculture ‘GAPs’ is a must to contribute meaningfully to environmental sustainability. With the ever-present climate change
concerns, environmental sustainability and adaptation to climate change are essential to enable and sustain social and economic devel-
opment. Outside of the extractive industries, such as mining, agriculture’s interface with the environment is direct and lasting and, when
good practices are engaged, it is mutually beneficial. Farming in particular, has over the centuries, contributed to creating and maintain-
ing a variety of valuable semi-natural habitats, which today, shape the majority of the Caribbean’s landscapes and house many of the
region’s richest wildlife. Farming also supports a diverse rural community that plays an essential role in maintaining the environment
in a healthy state. Good agriculture is essential to securing environmental sustainability, defined as the ability to maintain the qualities
that are valued in the physical environment . However, 15 years after committing to the Earth Summit, seven years after the MDGs and
five years after the Johannesburg Summit, Caribbean countries still face the challenge of promoting innovative solutions and integrated
policies that simultaneously generate economic and social well-being, foster productive development and guarantee environmental
sustainability.

7
 V isi o n i n g
16 years ago, Agenda 21 set targets re-
lated to agriculture and sustainable de-
velopment. This formed part of the World
Summit on Sustainable Development, the
Commission on Sustainable Development
and the Johannesburg Plan of Implemen-
tation. Other key global development agen-
das involving agriculture include the 1996
World Food Summit (WFS) and the Small
Islands Developing States SIDS strategy.
But in 2000, globalisation, growth without
equity had resulted in unacceptable levels
of poverty and hunger, especially in devel-
oping countries. In response, the 2000,
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs)
set global targets for progress towards
equitable human and sustainable develop-
ment by 2015. These targets also include
the development of agriculture as a vehicle
for achieving such progress.
Today, agriculture features prom-
inently in leading political, economic and
social agendas of the world. These agen-
das are increasingly moving ‘beyond eco-
nomics’, integrating environmental, social
and governance issues into development
approaches. Agriculture is expected to
contribute to the balanced and sustainable
development of the national economy and
rural areas through the establishment of
firm linkages with other economic activi-
ties, preservation of biodiversity and eco-
logical systems, building of social capital
and equity and creation of effective insti-
tutions and governance structures. If it is
to play this role, then old, restrictive con-
cept of agriculture can no longer be used
as the basis for defining actions to achieve
sustainable development of agriculture,
improve the lives of rural peoples, secure
food supplies and safeguard the environ-
ment.
A renewed vision of agriculture as
strategically important to rural livelihoods,
individual economies and development in
the hemisphere provided the framework for
its re-positioning in the Americas. IICA and
Ministers of Agriculture worked together to
promote this renewed vision of agriculture
and rural life and to lobby for inclusion of
its issues on the agenda of the Summit
of the Americas. The Summit is the most
prominent prominently political, economic
and social gathering and common agenda
of the hemisphere.
8
A g r ic u lt u r e a n d
The 2015 vision for sustainable development of agriculture and rural life in the
Americas defines:
• development priorities and purposes built on the principles of sustainability. The
emphasis on sustainability makes the process ‘future-driven’. The strategic objec-
tives of the four key elements of sustainable development are Competitiveness,
Environmental Sustainability, Equity and Governance, respectively. Each of these
has been articulated in all countries of the Americas, with varying degrees of priori-
ty. They are all inter-connected and equally essential to the development process.
development partners in the agriculture-rural system. The emphasis on partner-
• ships makes the process ‘people-centred’ and provides the rationale for the ‘Sys-
temic’ approach to participation and decision making for development. The main
groups of actors/partners are - Rural Stakeholders, Agri-Food Chain Players and
Policy Makers/Public Service. The ‘people’ in rural communities interact to improve
their economic and social conditions. Agri-Food Chain players, from the farm to
table, use agriculture’s resources and add value to supply safe, healthy and quality
food and non-food products and services. Policy-makers/Public Service make and
implement decisions to create the environment that enables private sector enter-
prise and sustainable livelihoods. The results of their combined and coordinated
actions will lead to objectives of Rural Prosperity, Food and Nutrition Security and
Positioning.
development as a process that integrates priorities into the actions of partners.
• The inter-relationships and connections between and among the development pri-
orities and partners define the scope of actions to be taken in the agriculture-rural
continuum.
Together, these three inter-related concepts form the base for building a frame-
work, or matrix, that make these ‘connections’ obvious and allow them to develop
in a symbiotic relationship - Agro-matrix. Agro-matrix epitomises the move to go
‘beyond economics’ to achieve sustainable and equitable development.
Ten years after the first Summit of the Americas (1994), the positioning
agriculture on the inter-American Development
agenda became a reality at the Special Sum-
mit in Monterrey (Mexico) in 2004. This was
the culmination of a process started in the late
1990s, and a result of the success of Member
states, with leadership from IICA, in getting
agriculture and rural life issues introduced on
the agenda for the first time at the Third Sum-
mit in Quebec City, 2001. During that Summit,
the Heads of State and Government recognized
the importance of agriculture and rural life as
way of life for millions of rural dwellers and as
a strategic sector of the socioeconomic system
for generating prosperity. This triggered efforts to develop a new con-
ceptual framework as a common platform for improving agriculture and
rural life. At the 2004 Summit, The Heads of State and Governments man-
dated Ministers of Agriculture to promote joint hemispheric action and
medium-to-long term national strategies for sustainable development of
agriculture and rural life. They also endorsed the first Hemispheric Minis-
terial Agreements (HMA) – the AGRO 2003-2015 Plan for Agriculture and
Rural Life of the Americas, built on the principles and inter-relationships
of the Agro-matrix conceptual framework.
 R u r al L if e i n t h e A m e r icas


Development…..
..Partners (3)  Rural Peoples ~ Value-Chain Actors ~ Public Sector
…Purposes (12) 
Promote Forge linkages Promote
..Priorities (4)
 integrate policies to
competitive
Economic: rural chains; raise enable
enterprises productivity competitive
Competitiveness levels…. business ….

Promote good Promote Build a pro-

Ecological environmental integrated environment
practices in environmental policy frame-
Sustainability rural areas… management… work…

Facilitate better Advance Promote social

Socio-Cultural
quality of life learning, protection &
Human
and access to expertise equal
Equity resources & innovation and opportunity
basic services… entrepreneurs… policies….

Political Strengthen Strengthen Promote

Institutional public, private dialogue, national policy,
and civil society commitment & regional &
Governance partnerships…. partnerships in international
the chain…. cooperation …

Rural Prosperity ~ Food & Nutrition Security ~ Positioning

 Sustainable
development
of agriculture
a platform for sustainable development 
and rural life

AgroMatrix changes the old view of agriculture and rural life, providing the ‘bigger picture’ at a glance,
allowing us to locate where we, as individuals and institutions fit and the connections we need to make to
contribute meaningfully to the process for sustainable development.
The Purposes (Inner cells)
I. Promote competitive rural enterprises;
II. Promote productivity, forge linkages and integrate chains from farm to market;
III. Promote an enabling policy, regulatory and institutional environment for competitive business;
IV. Promote good environmental practices in rural areas;
V. Promote integrated environmental management in the chain;
VI. Build an environmentally-friendly regulatory and institutional framework;
VII. Facilitate improved quality of life and access to basic services in rural areas;
VIII. Develop capacities, expertise, innovation and entrepreneurship in the chain;
IX. Promote social development policies to improve lives, livelihoods and equal opportunity;
X. Strengthen cooperation among public and private sector and civil society in rural areas;
XI. Strengthen dialogue, partnerships and commitments in the chain;
XII. Promote enabling national policies and strengthen regional integration and international cooperation.

All 12 Agro-matrix Purposes are important to all countries of the Americas. Some are within the direct and specific man-
date of Ministries of Agriculture; some are not. However, achieving all is essential to the sustainable development of agriculture,
rural lives and livelihoods. Each Purpose and its Strategic Actions can be tailored to national situations. They can also evolve
over time to accommodate emerging issues within the seven broad Strategic Objectives that encompass the sustainable devel-
opment challenges/critical issues for strengthening agriculture and rural communities in the Americas. Agro-matrix framework
works best in the context of national planning for agriculture and rural life, especially since the mandates and actions of other
Ministries may have significantly more influence on agriculture and rural life. Agro-matrix is the conceptual base for AGRO Plan
2003-2015 for improving the situation in agriculture and rural life in the Americas.

9
 The Summits and the Agriculture Agenda
- in Brief

1994, Miami – First Summit: Heads of State and Government underscored the need for practical progress on the vital tasks of enhancing
democracy, promoting development, achieving economic integration and free trade, improving the lives of their people, and protecting the
natural environment for future generations. The main themes: Preserving and Strengthening the Community of Democracies of the Ameri-
cas; Promoting Prosperity through Economic Integration and Free Trade; Eradicating Poverty and Discrimination in Our Hemisphere; and
Guaranteeing Sustainable Development and Conserving Our Natural Environment for Future Generations. While agriculture has a vital and
direct role in the latter three and makes positive contributions to the Governance theme, agriculture’s ‘position on the agenda’ was in refer-
ences to freeing trade in the Americas (FTAA) by tackling agricultural tariffs, and in terms of partnerships for biodiversity to ensure proper
management of resources used in agriculture. That was it!

1996, Santa Cruz, Bolivia – Special Summit on Sustainable Development – the expectation was that agriculture would be among the
main themes, as indicated by themes on ‘Sustainable Agriculture and Forests’ and ‘Water resources and Coastal Areas’. Other themes
were Health and Education; Sustainable Cities and Communities; Energy and Minerals; Institutional arrangements; Financing; Science
and Technology Transfer and Public Participation. While not focussed on agriculture, these other themes have a significant impact on the
conditioning environment in which agriculture balances the imperatives of sustainable development with economic growth. In considering
the un-sustainability of current agricultural processes as one of the most serious problems in the region, the Summit mandated actions for
sustainable agriculture, forestry and biodiversity conservation. So an appreciation for agriculture was there!

1998, Santiago de Chile –Second Summit- the main themes were Education, Preserving and Strengthening Democracy, Justice and Hu-
man Rights; Economic Integration and Free Trade; Eradication of Poverty and Discrimination; and Follow-up. Agriculture received mention
in relation to the application of science and technology to address the effects of climate variability, support from telecommunications and
electronic networks, and capacity building activities and productive projects for indigenous populations. While there was no mention of food
security per sé, there was mention of the creation of food bank networks with volunteer participation in relation to the issue of hunger and
malnutrition.

2001, Quebec City – Third Summit- that addressed themes of Improved access to education, Poverty alleviation,
Strengthening human rights and democracy and Economic integration. Heads committed to “promote programs for the
improvement of agriculture and rural life and agro-business as an essential contribution to poverty reduction and integral
development.” They also expressed appreciation at the efforts of Inter-American organisations supporting the agricultural
development process. This explicit reflection of agriculture was a milestone and a result of the intense and prolonged lobby
efforts of these same organisations, including IICA, on behalf of member states. Agriculture issues were included in a
special Chapter 10 on Agriculture Management and Rural Development in the Plan of Action that contained mandates for

2004, Monterrey, Mexico – Special Summit- to address three main themes: Economic Growth with Equity; Social Devel-
opment; and Democratic Governance. Agricultural issues addressed included liberalisation of trade of agricultural products,
promoting investment and creating a favourable environment for sustainable improvements. Heads also reiterated their
support for the agencies involved in agricultural development and endorsed the implementation of the AGRO 2003-2015
Plan of Action for Agriculture and Rural Life of the Americas, adopted at the Second Ministerial Meeting on Agri-
culture and Rural Life, held in Panama in November 2003.

2005, Mar del Plata, Argentina – Fourth Summit - under the theme “Creating Jobs to Fight Poverty and Strengthen
Democratic Governance” Under the issue of ‘growth with employment, Heads committed to support the implementation
of the Ministerial Agreement of Guayaquil in 2005, Agriculture and Rural Life in the Americas. (AGRO 2003-2015 Plan) and
again mandated agencies involved in agricultural development to promote the renewed vision of agriculture, build a strong
and inclusive institutional framework and enable implementation of the AGRO Plan in the hemisphere.

Recall that trade integration through the FTAA dominated the Summit agenda until it collapsed at the 4th 2005 Summit.

2009, Port of Spain, Trinidad – Fifth Summit - “Securing our Citizens Future by Promoting Human Prosperity,
Energy Security and Environmental Sustainability”. Agriculture must be positioned as of strategic importance to achiev-
ing the vision embodied in the theme. Agriculture must be a decisive part of any ‘collective solutions to the most pressing
challenges’ and contributor to creating ‘the conditions for greater peace, security and prosperity for all the peoples of the
Americas’. The Draft Declaration that will lead to a Plan of Action includes commitments to ‘developing new national and
regional approaches under AGRO Plan 2015’ and ‘for Ministers of Finance to increase their involvement in the SoA process’
to ensure that agriculture receives the necessary development resources.

10
 Coordinating Agriculture Policy in the Americas
‘Policy’ is described as the settled method by which the government and affairs of a nation are, or may be, admin-
istered; a system of public or official administration, as designed to promote the external or internal prosperity of
a state. (http://www.brainyquote.com) Policy harmonisation is an important element of integration blocs. However,
“…to be fully useful it should take advantage of this environment to strengthen the position of countries in world
markets” (Prof. Tim Josling, 2009). The following provides briefs on efforts at agricultural policy harmonisation in regional
blocs in the Americas.

Andean Common Agricultural Policy (ACAP) aims “to promote an efficient and modern agri-
culture in order to attract and take advantage of the investment resources and the human labour
force, so as to have the opportunity to export appropriately and give the Andean inhabitants a high
standard of living.” While not within the same scope as the European Union’s Common Agricul-
tural Policy, the ACAP become an important aspect in building the Common Market. As proposed
by the presidents in 1990, the CAP continues to evolve as it develops in tandem with the Common
Market. Specifically, it is intended to equalise the conditions for competition in sub-regional mar-
kets, promote joint development programs, harmonise export incentives and policies, stabilise the
cost of imports from non-member countries, eliminate price distortions, consolidate the free trade
zone and strengthen health activities. Based upon these key elements, the Agricultural Policy cur-
rently has three initiatives in effect: the Andean agricultural health system, the Andean system of
price bands, and production chains. The ACAP was also designed to apply to agricultural trade
within the international community. It is hoped that the members can establish clear trade negotia-
tion strategies with third countries and put them in practice, including eliminating or reducing the
tariff differences that the member countries have with third countries.
Source: http://www.ats-sea.agr.gc.ca/latin/4326_e.htm

CACM - a Central American Agricultural Policy (CAAP) for 2008-2017 seeks to “promote agricul-
ture that is sustainable, modern, competitive, equitable, articulated at the regional level and con-
ceived as an expanded sector, capable of adapting to new roles and opportunities and promoting
complementarity between public and private sector actors.” The CAAP seeks to build a renewed
and shared vision of agriculture that will guide the sector’s actions to help it meet the challenges of
the early 21st century and achieve a greater level of development during the next ten years. The
CAAP is based on two core areas: (1) Competitiveness and Agribusiness and (2) Financing and a r e
Q u i c k T i m e ™

n e e d e d t o
a n d
d e c o m p r e s s o r
s e e
a

t h i s p i c t u r e .

Risk Management. In addition, there are three cross-cutting issues, namely special initiatives to
address the needs of small scale agribusiness, a commitment to environmental management and
the necessary actions to develop the national and regional institutional framework to guarantee
implementation.
Source: Central American Agricultural Policy 2008-2017,
ISBN 13 978-92-9039-898-1, San Jose, Costa Rica, 2008

CARICOM - the commitment and goals to establish a CARICOM Community Agricultural Policy
(CCAP) are enshrined in Chapter Four, Part Two of the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas. The
goals emphasise issues of productivity and competitiveness, environmental management and
sustainability, food and nutrition security and improved income and employment opportunities.
This represents a significant step towards realising the economic and political benefits of regional
cooperation. In 2008, IICA, with financial support from the CTA, completed a draft paper that builds
on the objectives articulated in the Revised Treaty, in an attempt to present a cohesive ‘document’
that can be referred to as the CARICOM Community Agricultural Policy. The CCAP paper treats
with agriculture through a ‘chain’ approach as opposed to a ‘sector’ approach (mainly primary and
disconnected from value adding). The CCAP paper will be the subject of a regional meeting in April
2009. The paper notes that ‘both the opportunity and imperative for deepening regional integration
through the concerted adoption of community policy for agriculture have never been greater. It is
therefore critical that CARICOM seize what might be the last golden opportunity’

11
The future for agriculture
has never looked rosier
“…lower use of chemicals and fertilisers, con-
tributing to environmental sustainability” was a
goal that governments of the Americas adopted at previous
Summits of the Americas and specifically Trinidad cocoa (Trin-
itario cocao), a hybrid species indigenous to this country, is
world renowned for its 100% fine flavour cocoa. The develop-
ment of the Trinidad Selected Hybrid (TSH) varieties with high
yield, rich flavour, resistant to witches’ broom and black pod
diseases, and adaptable to local soil conditions is a prime can-
didate for contributing to this hemispheric goal.
Average production of cocoa beans from
Trinidad and Tobago is between 1.5 million to 2.5
million kg/ year but industry experts believe the
country can triple its production without affect-
ing the world price of cocoa. The paradox ex-
emplifies the challenges which many coun-
tries in the hemisphere face in maximising
the benefits that may be derived from their
natural resources. Notwithstanding its im-
mense economic value and environmental
potential, the negligible position of the cocoa
industry in Trinidad and Tobago is also symp-
tomatic of disconnect between policy planning,
implementation and success in agriculture.
NIHERST Foresight and Innovation stud-
ies on the biotechnology and food sectors conducted by
NEXT Corporation viewed Trinidad cocoa as offering consid-
erable potential for increasing value adding in the agricultural
sector. The global drift away from mega-conglomerate-type
enterprises to entities catering to “markets of one”, according
to Next Corporation, has particular advantages to an industry
that is offering as unique a product as Trinidad cocoa.
The increasing focus on health and wellness has giv-
en rise to trends of “age defiance,” where persons want to live
longer, stay younger and continue to enjoy more pleasurable
lifestyles and environmentally connected lifestyle. These trends
are concurrently being reflected in public and private sector
policies that aim at reducing the high incidence of lifestyle dis-
eases - obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease. Further-
more, they feed the demand for customised natural and
healthy foods, organics and nutraceuticals, pro-
vide incentives for adopting healthy lifestyles,
and improve food safety through labelling of
ingredients and nutritional content, all re-
flective of the focus on prevention rather
than cure-based healthcare. Cocoa can
provide new and innovative solutions to
these growing consumer demands and
be used to develop a whole new value
proposition for the industry. By focusing
on developing and marketing the value
of cocoa derivatives such as the addictive
appeal of chocolate drawn from evidence
of bioactive compounds such as phenyethyl-
amine (PEA), otherwise known as the ‘love chemi-
cal’; anandamide which stimulates and motivates pleasure
responses; and theobromine, an antioxidant that makes
people feel better.
“Someone somewhere in the world is going to
leverage a whole lot of extra value from cocoa by shifting
12
the emphasis of its end use from the food sector through to the human
health and wellness area,” the studies predict. “Whether the human
response is based largely on perceptions or real effects, being able
to measure and state how much of these types of compounds (and
potentially others) exist in different lines of cocoa will provide entre-
preneurs and innovators with a real competitive marketing advantage
in the global marketplace”. “This opens up a whole lot of opportunities
which, if backed with science and biotechnologically-driven research
away from ‘chemical’ solutions, could add a substantial amount of value
to cocoa.
The Foresight and Innovation studies observe that
“in many Caribbean countries, the people and
governments have almost given up on agri-
culture - just at a time when the future has
never looked rosier. The key is to move
away from the commodity focus that has led
to the sector’s decline and into areas that of-
fer real value adding. There are many driv-
ers of change that mean agriculture is likely
to make a big resurgence in the near future
- and for many years to come. It is time to
re-position agriculture as one of the most stra-
tegic portfolios in cabinet. Public sector support
would include the provision of infrastructure, ed-
ucation and training, incentives and assistance and
a functioning regulatory and intellectual property re-
gime. Private sector initiatives should focus on such areas
as: raw material availability, production and quality assurance; packag-
ing and labelling; branding and marketing; value chain management
and development; investment and entrepreneurship. Enhanced R&D
activities - including the development of new products and plant variet-
ies, rating scales, enhanced production processes - should be a priority
concern for both the public and private sectors.”
A 2006 NIHERST survey on Innovation in the Food & Bev-
erages Sector found that in the sector, product innovation was more
widely practised than process innovation, with least innovation in the
marketing arena.
The potential that exists for Trinidad cocoa is just one
example of how the agricultural sector can be turned aroun from
being a ‘loser’ to one which provides and exciting and vibrant fu-
ture.
Numerous high value propositions exist and there are plenty
of examples internationally of value adding levels of 400% to
2500% being achieved through the application of Science
and Technology and smart modern business practices.
It is opportunities such as these that provide
the basis for some new fresh thinking at fora such
as the Summit of the Americas.
In October 2008, during the 8th annual Caribbean Week of Agriculture, stakeholders in the agricultural community engaged in
open dialogue with their regional and international development partners, and critically, the media. The event was called A.R.T
–Agriculture Round Table. The main purpose of the ART was to foster connections in and communication on agriculture in the
region. The central theme was ‘positioning agriculture. The following are some of the many perspectives shared on the topic.

“…for years we have heard our governments and our policy makers talk to us about diversification,
move away from agriculture, let’s look at tourism. The economy should not stand on one pillar be-
cause anything could happen and it will fall. We’ve moved in some cases from one extreme to the
other. We speak here about the foreign consultants coming and telling us what to do and we readily
accept that. How then, now, do we reposition ourselves?” Peter Richards, Media Professional.

“…we are talking about moving agriculture forward and what we need to do.
Simple, we need to look at our success storied and build upon them. We keep acting as if we don’t
have successes. Let’s look at our success stories in the various areas, let’s build on it and let us
create the policy framework to get it done.”
Jethro Greene (St.Vincent & Grenadines) - Caribbean Farmer’s Organisation.

“..CARICOM agriculture is being structurally transformed, but we misunder-

stand the transformations. CARICOM agriculture is being transformed in areas such as an in-
creased emphasis on services, which includes a large content from the agricultural sector itself.
Agriculture is alive, driven by innovation, by adherence to consumer taste and preferences and by
a very simple word called branding. And if we were to switch our thoughts, begin to open ourselves
to accepting this transformation we could seize on the opportunities that are certainly there …”
Patrick Antoine (Grenada) - Strategic Trade Policy Advisor.

“...our first attempt at food security in the Caribbean was in the 28th April 1789 mutiny on the
‘Bounty’, a British ship transporting breadfruit from the Tahiti to be grown as a cheap source of
food for the slaves in the West Indies. Well we still have the breadfruit, but we much prefer corn,
soybean, rice and the other things that we don’t grow. And therein lies a big chunk of our food
security problem. A second part of the problem is that we have never been a culture of food pro-
ducers. We have been a culture of export commodity producers, cash crops. And the logic has al-
ways been that we grow what we grow best or for which there is a market. We sell and we import.
Question is; is that paradigm still valid or do we need to change the paradigm?”
Al Binger (Jamaica) - international Energy Expert.

“… I don’t think we have really taken advantageous of selling the nutritional superiority of most
of the Caribbean fruits and vegetables that we have. Pomegranate is the next big fruit. A couple
of months ago, I walked into a supermarket and I saw pomegranate mixed with cranberry juice. I
had a pomegranate tree outside my house which I was told to get rid of because it was a fruit that
was really of little benefit to me. We are recognizing that the western world is slowly taking up a lot
of the fruits and vegetables that we essentially have discarded and are using it now for their own
economic benefit.’ Andrew Skeete (Barbados) - Agricultural Marketing.

“..the protection of our topsoil is very important: food production is dependent on it and also the
nutrition value of our food is dependent on the condition of our soil. Not long ago I heard reports
out of Europe where especially the Netherlands were very concerned because the nutrition value
of the products has gone down by 40-50%, especially the vitamins, because of the injections of
fertilisers in the ground. We have here all the possibilities to restore our growing grounds and to
keep them in good conditions. If we make a good policy and our attention is in the right direc-
tion.”
Natascha Neus (Suriname) - Sustainable development.

The ART was organized by IICA with funding from the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA) and in
collaboration with the CARICOM Secretariat, the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) and the Caribbean Agricultural Re-
search and Development Institute (CARDI). A copy of the report is available from the IICA Office in Trinidad and Tobago.

13
 Recent Publications produced under the IICA-CTA work programme

Copies of all publications can be obtained from the IICA Office in Trinidad and Tobago.

Breeding and Growing Agripreneurs

ISBN 13 978-92-9039-954-4
Port of Spain, 2008

The publication documents the presentations and discussions of an IICA-CTA regional workshop
on Stimulating Entrepreneurship in Agriculture, March 2008. The issues and topics covered are
the importance of entrepreneurship, the entrepreneur and small and micro enterprises to devel-
opment, the characteristics of an entrepreneur as opposed to a ‘self-employed’, and identifying
business and entrepreneurship opportunities in the Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).
The workshop content and discussion were inspired by Lloyd Best’s 2001 comment that ‘the is-
sue is not therefore diversification,.., it is the breeding for the first time, inshore of entrepreneurs,
meaning autonomous producers and managers’.

Agriculture, CSME and Common Policy: Issues and Options

Issue #13, March 2008
ISSN-1991-2323; CaRC/TT/01/08
Trinidad and Tobago

In a Nutshell, agriculture is a strategic economic sector, including an essential base of sustain-

able tourism, new export industries, etc, defined to drive development in the CSME. This issue
provides an introductory and exploratory journey into the main issues for agricultural develop-
ment in the context of deeper CARICOM integration. It emphasises the importance of integrating
agriculture at the national and regional levels, and in particular, the issue of ‘common’ or com-
munity policy The information provided is by no means conclusive, or complete. It is intended to
stimulate greater interest and understanding of the importance of agriculture to the socio-eco-
nomic development of the region and hence the absolute need for a ‘common’, ‘harmonised’ or
‘integrated’ policy for the Community.

Agriculture, Small Business and Entrepreneurship

Issue #14, April 2008,
ISSN-1991-2323; CaRC/TT/01/08
Trinidad and Tobago

In a Nutshell, entrepreneurship is central to growth, poverty reduction and development. Global

Economic Monitor (GEM) notes that entrepreneurial activity occurs in an economic system that
must provide the ‘oxygen’ of resources, incentives, markets and supporting institutions to the
growth of new firms. A common thread in almost all strategies for improving the situation in
agriculture and rural areas is that of developing an entrepreneurial and small business culture.
This issue focuses on ‘entrepreneurship’ and its role in growth and development of agriculture,
rural communities and national economies. An understanding of the concept, its relationship to
national growth and the role of public policy is essential. The internet holds substantial literature
on the topic. This information is presented to contribute to the enabling and empowering process
that drives individuals and institutions into action.

14
 Media Kit - Agriculture in
Development Agendas
October 2008, Trinidad and Tobago

AGEND
AS The Media Kit seeks to raise awareness of agriculture and to foster networking with media
ENT

URE IN
DEVE
LOPM
and civil society communicators to help ‘spread the word’ on the importance and worthiness of
ICULT
AGR
agriculture. The five topics included in this 2008 Brief are all inter-related: (1) ‘Agenda 2009
and Agriculture’, notes the major agendas for development that integrally include agriculture.
(2) ‘A CAP for CARICOM’, delves more deeply into the need for, importance of and issues
and options for a CARICOM Community Agricultural Policy; (3) ‘What’s Agriculture’s Posi-
tion?’, notes agriculture’s upward battles in competing for land, budgets, financing and other
critical development resources in CARICOM;(4) ‘Feeding CARICOM’s Future’, makes it clear
that the food crisis has its roots in a deeper and longer-standing agriculture crisis, and (5) ‘Fi-
nancing for the Agriculture Agenda’ notes that this continues to be a major and key binding
constraint to agricultural development, noting the region’s great expectations that the EU-EPA
will provide much needed financing.

Clustering for Competitiveness in Agriculture

ISBN 978-92-9248-000-4
Trinidad and Tobago, 2009

Globalisation has brought a new level of production coordination between countries. With new
agreements based on reciprocity, such as the EPA, the stakes are now higher than before. It is
no longer sufficient to merely negotiate market access without addressing the issue of market
presence and linkages. In this context a discussion of cluster and value chain development is
essential to define new strategies for inserting firms, industries, groups and regions into global
production and distribution systems in more equitable and sustainable ways. This paper brings
the issue of cluster development into context from the theory and practical examples in and
outside the Caribbean.

Investing in Food and Nutrition Security: Identifying potential investment opportunities

in the agriculture and food industries in CARICOM
ISBN 978-92-9248-053-0
Trinidad and Tobago, 2009

A ‘healthy diet’ is at the core of food and nutrition security, which in turn, relates to a country’s
or region’s food system. The term “food system” ties elements of food production (agriculture),
food distribution (trade) nutrition, health and rural/community development, i.e, all processes
involved in satisfying the ‘food needs’ of the population. The CFNI provides guidelines for
these “food needs” in its ‘Caribbean Food Groups-A Guide to Meal Planning for Healthy Liv-
ing’. This paper makes a departure in discussing issues that should be considered in decisions
on potential investment opportunities in the agriculture and food industry in CARICOM. It
takes the perspective of developing agriculture to satisfy the recommended nutritional guide-
lines, based entirely on CFNI’s five food groups, and not from the usual need to satisfy the
export market. An important conclusion is that the combined resources of CARICOM –physi-
cal, human and financial are capable of providing for a much greater level of food and nutrition
security than currently obtains, once investments are made in enhancing both the physical
supplies and distribution within and among countries of the region.

15
The Dialogue continues...
...for Agriculture in the Americas,..., in Jamaica
Regardless of one’s particular perspective or representation, or the goals and rationale of the V-SoA
and even the MDGs or any similar development agenda, the importance of agriculture to equitable
and sustainable human development can no longer be minimized. On the heels of an almost un-
precedented food crisis in 2008, CARICOM countries have an equally unprecedented opportunity in
2009 to make an unambiguous statement and firm commitment to ‘Agriculture for development
of CARICOM’. This statement must inform a wider understanding and appreciation of the role of
agriculture in human prosperity, energy security and environmental sustainability. This understand-
ing is critical if agriculture is to be effectively positioned at the national level, where the responsibility
for implementation of Summit mandates lies. This has heavy implications for Summit follow-up and
effectiveness of implementation, reflected in the statement ‘to improve the implementation of our
decisions at this Fifth Summit,....., we instruct the technical secretariat of all Ministerial Meet-
ings to inform their Ministers and High Level Authorities of the mandates of this Summit and
initiate strategic actions by the end of 2009.’ The Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture will take place
in Jamaica, from October 25th to 30th. The Week of Agriculture and Rural Life in the Americas will be
the most important agricultural event held in the hemisphere.
The Ministerial Meeting is the most important hemispheric forum for reaching agreement
on priorities and strategic actions for the sustainable development of agriculture and rural life in the
hemisphere. Coming after the Fifth Summit of the Americas in April in Trinidad, Chelston W.D Brath-
waite, IICA Director General, noted that it will be ‘a golden opportunities for key decision makers to
observe the reality of the Caribbean first hand. At the same time, the hosts must create the climate
of understanding and goodwill needed to seek joint solutions to the challenges of development and
those posed by the world economic crisis.’ As suggested by the Minister of Agriculture of Jamaica and host of the Week, Christopher Tufton,
the motto for the discussions will be “Building Capacity for Enhancing Food Security and Rural Life in the Americas,” a subject that
took on special importance in the wake of the crisis in the prices of staple grains that hit the world in 2008. Delegations from 34 countries,
headed by their Ministers of Agriculture, will attend two meetings during the Week: the Fifth Ministerial Meeting on Agriculture and Rural Life
in the context of the Summit of the Americas process, and the Fifteenth Regular Meeting of the Inter-American Board of Agriculture (IABA).

For more information, go to www.iica.int

Previous Agriculture Ministerials

First Ministerial Meeting: Bavaro 2001, immediately following the
Third Summit, the Ministers of Agriculture, with support from their
Ministerial Delegates, reached agreement on the “Ministerial Decla-
ration of Bavaro for Improvement of Agriculture and Rural Life in the
Americas”.
Third Ministerial Meeting, Guayaquil 2005, Ministers and their
delegates reaffirmed the commitment to the AGRO 2003-2015 Plan,
updating the Plan with complementary strategic actions for the 2006-
2007 biennium, prioritising the need to promote national policies, ad-
just regional strategies to the AGRO Plan and develop an develop an
Information System for Monitoring and Evaluating the AGRO Plan.
Second Ministerial Meeting, Panama 2003 built on broad-based
national, regional and hemispheric consultation and dialogue, coor-
dinated by the Ministerial Delegates, led to hemispheric agreement
on AGRO 2003-2015 Plan of Action for Agriculture and Rural Life in
the America
Fourth Ministerial Meeting, Guatemala 2007, Ministers signed
the Hemispheric Ministerial Agreement - Guatemala 2007, built on
promoting with agriculture stakeholders a broad-based approach to
thinking and acting in agriculture and the rural milieu and “working to-
gether” to improve agriculture and rural life in the Americas. They also
reaffirmed commitment to AGRO 2003-2015 Plan, and added eleven
more actions for 2008-2009 biennium.

Editor: Diana Francis

AgriView is published every trimester by the Inter- Research: Naitram Ramnanan
American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA).
Layout and Design Cordinator: Kathryn Duncan
It provides a forum for researchers, policy makers and
agri-entrepreneurs, including small farmer, to share ideas Production: Orange Printers, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.
and successful experiences that will contribute to the re-
positioning of the agri-food system in the Caribbean to
one that is economically efficient, socially responsible
and environmentally sound. It also provides information
to enhance knowledge critical to agribusiness.

This issue was printed with funding from the Technical

Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA).

The responsibility for opinions expressed in this publica-

tion and errors and omissions rest solely with the edi-
tors.

Any and all contributions and comments are most

welcome. Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)
Office in Trinidad and Tobago
P.O. Box 1318, Port of Spain
ISSN 1991-2315 CaRC/TT-01/09 #10 Austin Street, St. Augustine, Trinidad and Tobago, W.I.

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