Promoting food security through increased production and productivity of selected vegetables (under protected agriculture) and root crops

Two issues form the basis of activities which characterize the CARDI initiatives within its work programme; the increasing urgency of regional food security and the emergence of issues within a background of limited resources and environmental change. In this context, increased production and productivity of vegetables under protected agriculture as well as root crops are the focus of two new projects being implemented by CARDI over the next three years. The projects are entitled as follows: • Increased Production of Root and Tuber Crops in the Caribbean through the Introduction and Dissemination of Improved Production Technologies • Increased Production of Vegetables and Herbs through the Use of Protected Agriculture in the Caribbean A holistic approach (within limitations) to the sustainable development of the industries is adopted. For this reason, the projects address key components which dictate the capacity of the region’s industries to be competitive and to efficiently service the demand for these items. These components, determined within a commodity chain mode, comprise the servicing of markets, the transfer of production technology through training, the organization of commodity based groups, and the supply of planting material. The proposed loci of operations include Haiti, Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad & Tobago and strategically selected OECS countries, however, the entire region would be expected to benefit from the project’s expected output.