CAFP - MOA

Project Name: Integrated Caribbean Agriculture and Fisheries Development Pragramme ()CAFP

Project Authority: Secretary General of CARIFORUM (Regional Authorizing Officer, RAO).

Duration: Estimated End of Programme: April 2004

Total EU Contribution: EUR 22,200,000 (J$888,000,000)

Overall Objectives

The main objective of the Programme is to strengthen the economies of the CARIFORUM member states by consolidating and enhancing the contribution of agriculture and fisheries sectors.

Project Purpose

The Programme’s purpose is the improvement of the utilization of natural resources through market-led development of sustainable regional initiatives, at both public and private sector levels of the agriculture and fisheries sector. The Programme aims at:

Contributing to diversification and market development of Caribbean agriculture.
Stimulating private sector interests in agribusiness development.

The programme covers up to April 2004, and the total amount granted from the resources of the 7th EDF Caribbean Regional Indicative Programme is 22,2 million euro.

Project Results

Increased involvement of agribusiness in research and training and enhanced capability of research and training institutions to respond to commercial opportunities of the agribusiness sector (CARTF)
Increase employment and entrepreneurial opportunities in the Southern border area of Hispaniola as a result of improved access to credit (PROCREBI)
Establishment of a commercially oriented regional marketing information system (RMIS)
Improved plant & livestock quarantine services thereby enhancing individual countries’ ability to comply with the SPS Agreement of the WTO and the FTAA (SAQS)
Eradication and prevention of re-infestation of the Tropical Bont Tick (TBT) from the participating countries by 2002 (CAP/CAFP)
Control and prevention by 2004 of Classical Swine Fever (CSF)
Increased efficiency of the Caribbean Rice Industry, leading to increased productivity and improved access to international markets (CRIDNET)
Control of identified pests through the introduction of IPM practises and enhancement of national and regional capability to develop and transfer IPM technologies by 2004 (IPM)
Improved collaboration among public and private parties in the region, promoting the use of biotechnology as an agricultural development tool (CBN)
Enhanced harvest and post harvest utilisation of fisheries resources; region-wide quality standards will be adopted (CFU)

Project Activities

The main activities to be carried out in the context of the Programme include:

Setting up CARTF, organizing procedures, establishing National Agencies, publicizing the Fund, providing assistance to applicants, appraising applications and monitoring activities;
Setting up PROCREBI, selecting the financial institutions, setting policies and modalities for delivering credit and monitoring/reporting systems, publicity, sensitization and assistance to targeted beneficiaries;
Designing and operationalising a regional information system;
Drafting model legislation and regulations on regional quarantine, training and upgrading of regional quarantine services and set up of cost recovery systems (SAQS);
Establishing preventive and surveillance systems to control and eventually eradicate Classical Swine Fever (CSF);
Strengthening the Caribbean Rice Industry Development Network within the Caribbean Rice Association and establishment of a related business plan to ensure cost recovery, generating research results (including IPM) and facilitating exchange of ideas and transfer of technology (CRIDNET);
Identifying appropriate IPM technologies to combat critical pest problems in the region, ensuring local availability of necessary inputs for continued use of IPM practices, and supporting the effective operation of IPM technology transfer mechanism (IPM);
Organizing a Biotechnology Network Seminar, facilitating follow up, including providing assistance for the establishment of a Caribbean Biotechnology Network (CBN);
Participating in the formulation of regional policy and planning via close co-ordination with Caribbean Fisheries Resource Assessment and Management Programme of the Caribbean Fisheries Unit in Belize, as well as providing training staff of the national fisheries department (CFU);

Implementation

The Caribbean Regional Indicative Programme (CRIP) is, by consensus of the beneficiary CARIFORUM member states, managed by the Secretary General of CARIFORUM. He has been designated Regional Authorising Officer (RAO) for all programme under CRIP. However, the components of the regional programme are spread over a number of countries in the region, therefore full operational management of the programmes will be delegated to Deputy Regional Authorizing Officers (DRAOs)

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture of Trinidad and Tobago (DRAO) will manage the CAFP programme with the exception of:

Fisheries Institutional Development component, managed by the National Authorizing Officer (NAO) in Belize in his capacity of DRAO.
The Haiti/DR Rural Credit Programme, which will be managed jointly by the NAO of Haiti and the DR, both in their capacity of DRAOs
Other probable programme component dependent on outcome of final technical design

A Programme Management & Co-ordination Unit (PMCU) has been established in Port of Spain for the implementation of the programme. The PMCU is expected to operate as a coordinator catalyst to the proposed overall programme activities, with the exclusion of the Fisheries Institutional Development component (managed by the CFU), and to act as a conduit for ideas and development between the various participating countries.

The Unit reports through the DRAO to the Programme Advisory Board constituted by the Ministers of Agriculture, livestock and fisheries of the CARIFORUM Member States.

Contact:

Programme Manager: Ester Bonitatibus
Programme Management and Coordination Unit
88 Maraval Road
Port of Spain, Trinidad & Tobago
Email: Cariafp@tstt.net.tt