The business of
agriculture has
never looked
healthier

are our future, feed
them well and watch
them grow!With

concerns over child
obesity and the future of
agriculture, getting our
children interested in
\u2018eating what they grow\u2019,
literally, may be the
most sustainable model
to link good business,
good agriculture and
good health. The goat
industry is shaing up
to be one of these
sustainable models for
agriculture and rural
development.

AV zeroes in on two main topics. One promotes the process and agenda of the Fifth Ministerial on Agriculture and Rural Life of the Americas, taking place in Jamaica in October; the other promotes a sound methodological and strategic approach to agricultural development using the Value Chain Analysis or Methodology. Both areas are inter-related and complement each other. AV combines these two topics in this issue to underscore that hemispheric and regional policy dialogue, at the highest level, is inextricable linked to national actions to develop and integrate sustainable livelihoods and business in agriculture.

AV includes a special 4-page supplement on the Fifth Ministerial for your information and guidance. The Fifth Ministerial Meeting will focus on the challenges faced by countries of the hemisphere in agriculture and rural life, food security and sustainable development, as well as the strategic response required to address those challenges, including capacity building at the local and hemispheric level. These will be reflected in the adoption of Jamaica 2009 Hemispheric Ministerial Agreement (s) updating the AGRO 2003-2015 Plan. The supplement begins with an identification of the main topics for discussion, for each, noting key aspects that stakeholders, particularly those unfamiliar with the process, should seek to clarify. AV also provides a Caribbean Ministers \u2018Who\u2019s Who\u2019, among the 34 Ministerial \u2018movers and

Integral to the positioning of agriculture and rural life issues on the agenda of the Summit of the Americas and management of the process thereafter, through the Ministerial Process, is the promotion of agriculture as strategic to the lives and livelihoods of millions of rural peoples and economies of the Americas. A key strategy that will enable agriculture to contribute to rural and economic development is business development.

Recently, countries of the Americas have been taking a very serious look at the Value Chain Approach for business development. This means building integrated value chains forged through partnerships, alliances, dialogue and cooperation and commitment of actors from farm-to-table. The success of CARICOM in enhancing food security and rural life, harmonising agriculture policy within the CSME Single

Development Vision and growing competitive business, one enterprise at a time, will all depend on how far and how fast the region can build successful agriculture on the principles of the value chain approach. In this regard, AV highlights models and experiences for developing business in agriculture and perspectives on the role of regional policy in adding value to national agricultural development efforts.

Moving Agriculture from \u2018Sector\u2019 to \u2018Value Chains\u2019
Alleviating Constraints to Building Competitive Value Chains
Placing the \u2018Value Chain\u2019 in context

Growing Agri-business - one enterprise at a time!
TTABA .. creating links and adding value to local produce
The Value of Shared Experiences
Investing in Nutrition - Building Capacity for CARICOM\u2019s Food Needs
Is there a place for Regional Policy in building Competitive Agriculture?
Publications to look out for...
Investing by Nutrition

12 13 14 14 14 14 14 14 14

Agriculture being positioned to tackle the \u2018silent tsunami\u2019 in the Americas
Caribbean Ministers of Agricuture - Who\u2019s Who
Snapshot of actions taken by Caribbean Countries to enhance food security

ruminants are considered to be an established and important feature of Caribbean agriculture. They not only play a significant role in the economy of the small farmers, but also in agricultural diversification initiatives geared to reducing the dependence on a narrow range of export crops\u201d.

Despite this importance, however, local production satisfies only a small per- centage of demand with shortfalls satisfied mainly with imports from New Zealand and Australia.1 In 2009, there is still a growing and unmet demand for the fresh local product, perceived as being a healthier with better quality and flavour characteristics. This demand exists at the level of both consumers who buy from community butchers buyers in upscale supermarkets and hospitality establishments. The traditional goat products have been meat, milk and leather goods. However, in these times, goat rear- ing for an expanded range of by-products is not-so-quietly carving out a space for itself in the expanding business of agriculture, at least among an enterprising group of goat farmers in Trinidad. Goat cheese, yoghurt, soap and body lotion are being positioned to fill markets in the Caribbean and beyond.

A\ue00b\ue002\ue00b\ue00at 5t\ue003 \ue005a\ue009k\ue001\ue000 a\ue006 \ue003i\ue00at\ue007\ue009ic \ue007cca\ue00ai\ue007\ue006 f\ue007\ue009 t\ue003\ue001 \ue002\ue007at i\ue006\ue000\ue00b\ue00at\ue009y i\ue006 T\ue009i\ue006i-
\ue000a\ue000. It wa\ue00a t\ue003\ue001 fi\ue009\ue00at ti\ue005\ue001 t\ue003at c\ue007\ue005\ue005\ue001\ue009cia\ue004\ue004y \ue008\ue009\ue007\ue000\ue00bc\ue001\ue000 \ue008a\ue00at\ue001\ue00b\ue009i\ue00a\ue001\ue000 \ue002\ue007at \ue005i\ue004k
wa\ue00a \ue008\ue009\ue007\ue005\ue007t\ue001\ue000 a\ue006\ue000 \ue007ff\ue001\ue009\ue001\ue000 f\ue007\ue009 \ue00aa\ue004\ue001. It \ue00a\ue007\ue004\ue000 fa\ue00at\ue001\ue009 t\ue003a\ue006 \ue003\ue007t b\ue009\ue001a\ue000!

According to John Borely, President of the Trinidad and Tobago Goat and Sheep Soci- ety (TTGSS), dairy goat farming has a rich history in Trinidad and Tobago. The original Trinidad and Tobago Goat Society, formed since 1922, is one of the country\u2019s oldest agricultural organisations. After a lapse in activity, the society was revived, initially in 1987 and again in 1991. It has persevered since then, evolving into the (TGSS). In Trinidad, the goat and sheep industry is divided into meat producers, primarily sheep farmers, despite the greater popularity of goat meat and a small number of dairy goat farmers. The meat from goat and sheep is traditionally marketed in unsophisticated roadside stalls or as live animals for the religious festival markets. Dairy goat farmers are mainly dedicated backyard, urban hobbyists that sell raw milk from their farm gates occasionally. However, goat cheese and imported goat milk is now a common sight on grocery shelves. Globally and locally, consumers seem to be growing in awareness of the great reputation that goat milk has as a culinary and health product.

The TTGSS President noted that a major challenge is how to meet the demand for high quality products from traditional, low-output farming systems. To this end, the dairy goat farmers have prioritised their needs to the TTGSS accordingly- assistance with marketing and their need for better quality stock. In response, the TTGSS mounted a series of activities aimed at meeting farmers\u2019 needs. A rearing and sharing programme was initiated by the TTGSS and facilitated through the Agricultural Society of Trinidad and Tobago (ASSTT). This was implemented as part of the industry\u2019s development objective of improving the supply of high quality milk and meat. Under programme, good quality stock were imported and \u2018shared\u2019 among farmers on the condition that they would give an equal number of the pure bred offspring back to the programme, a sort of \u2018revolving goat stock\u2019 to benefit other farmers. Other key elements of the industry\u2019s development programme increasing the demand and developing the market for milk and meat and activities to sustain the sector, such as, strengthening capacity in farm management, grass/fodder production, an information hub and an annual show and conference. The TTGSS is positioning itself as an industry association facilitating growth and development through the involvement of all the stakeholders in the industry - producers, processors, technical support, educators, input suppliers etc.

1 Upscaling the marketing of small ruminant products in the Caribbean - The challenges. Asiedu F H, Gibson N, John M and Ansari H. 2007 Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), A paper presented at the 43rd Annual Meeting of the Caribbean Food Crops Society, San Jose, Costa Rica, 16-21 September 2007 3) http://cfcs.eea.uprm.edu/CFCS%20Proceedings.htm