Resilient Caribbean Initiative Workshop by Carol-Faye Bynoe-George

Synopsis on the Resilient Caribbean Initiative

The Mexico-CARICOM-FAO Initiative Co-operation for the Adaptation and Resilience to Climate Change (Resilient Caribbean Initiative) in the fourteen countries of the Caribbean (CARICOM) to foster resilience regarding their agriculture sector/food systems.

This co-operation started in 2018 was funded by the Mexican government and was implemented by the FOA subregional Office for the Caribbean is expected to conclude by December 2024.  The project made up of several components each having sub-projects, these are as follow:

  • Component 1: Strengthening the institutional capacities of the CARICOM member countries in aspects related to resilient livelihoods and well-being through South-South cooperation o Subproject 1: Addressing the water-energy nexus in agriculture o Subproject 2: Resilient school feeding programmes o Subproject 3: Resilient aquaculture for food security and well-being o Subproject 4: Support to the Germplasm Centre of Levy, South Department, Haiti
  • Component 2: Facilitating access to climate and environmental finance for resilience and adaptation to climate change
  • Component 3: Effective and efficient management of the Initiative and knowledge As the Resilient Caribbean Initiative is coming to a close.

The Resilient Caribbean Initiative Workshop

The Government of Mexico, the CARICOM Secretariat and FAO-SLC hosted a two-day in-person workshop in Panama City that brought together selected beneficiaries and key stakeholders for a joint reflection on successes, challenges and lessons learned.

The event objectives provided a platform for:

  • direct beneficiaries expressed their experience with the project (e.g., benefits derived, changes observed, challenges faced, etc.);
  • government focal points shared lessons learned and recommendations for future FAO interventions in the sub-region;
  • all participants jointly defined areas that require additional support and hold potential for future collaboration between Mexico and CARICOM countries.

Antigua and Barbuda, was represented by a quadruple team consisted of Ms Petranilla Estreada/Deputy- Registrar of Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals, Miss Auriel Horsford-Hunte/former FAO National Project Co-ordinator, Miss Sheir Williams/Farmer and Mr. Brent Georges/Projects Co-ordinator for the Ministry of Agriculture.

According to Ms. Petranilla Estreada – the workshop was collaborative and engaging. The major take-aways were that most countries experience the same difficulties of changing the traditional mindset of its citizens to foster change, enhance nutrition and productivity. “The countries also believed that a baseline assessment and needs assessment needs to be done in country before programs are accepted and implemented to avoid resources being misused and wasted and they stressed the need for monitoring and evaluation”, Estreada said.

She further stated that, countries as a team made recommendations for future programme initiatives in the categories of technology needs, capacity building/training, partnerships, school feeding program and Caribbean Agri-food systems.

The representatives’ involvements included the following:

  • Miss Auriel Horsford-Hunte, moderated subcomponent 1: related to the water nexus project;
  • Sheir Williams shared her experience as a beneficiary of the program.
  • Brent Georges was a panalist for sub- component 1 and also shared his experience addressing the water energy nexus in agriculture.
  • Petranilla Estreada participated in technical group dialogues, multi stakeholder reflections and discussions related to future initiatives and cross-country dialogues.