the Agriculture Agenda

Week Aug 23-29, 2010

Events directly and indirectly related to agricultural development

August NB:
Some more for your information!
Mon 23 Small Ruminants Week The week-long event supports the development of local staple-food industries and offers
Bahamas an opportunity for both prospective entrants and veterans to broaden their knowledge
22 – 27 August, 2010 and skill. Small ruminants are an important source of incomes in agriculture and food
security in the region. This program is being coordinated by the IICA Bahamas office, The
Ministry of Agriculture and CARDI.
International Day for the International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is a United
Remembrance of the Nations observance worldwide. It is not a public holiday. This day is meant to pay tribute
Slave Trade and its to the men and women who played a significant part in the abolishment of slavery
Abolition system, the slave trade, and colonialism. Agriculture was a main stay of the early colonies
Worldwide and patterns of production and tenure were changed in the post-emancipation
23 August 2010 Caribbean.
Tues 24 ECTAD Study Tour by North A delegation of eight (8) farmers and agriculture stakeholders from the North East Farmers
East Farmers Organisation Organisation (NEFO) of Grenada and the Guyana Agricultural Producers Association
(NEFO) to St. Vincent & (GAPA) of Guyana who will be visiting St. Vincent and the Grenadines on a Study tour
Grenadines commencing on Tuesday 24th August – Saturday 28th August, 2010. The Study tour is
24 –28August 2010 aimed at giving the delegation an insight into agriculture production in St. Vincent and
the Grenadines. Focus will be made on farming practices, the different types of crops
produced and the technical assistance needed to produce crops such as sweet
potatoes, yams, dasheens and eddoes. The delegation is expected to visit several farms
including dasheen, yams, eddoes and sweet potato farms. The Study tour is currently
being organised by the CaFAN through ECTAD under a Letter of Agreement with the
Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO) with funding from the
European Union All ACP Agricultural Programme (EU AAACP). In 2009, ECTAD farmers
benefitted from training and technical support provided by FAO and the EU AAACP. In
2010, ECTAD will receive further support to strengthen its capacity in the production and
marketing of roots and tubers under the EU AAACP.
Dehydration Workshop The Department of Marine Resources through its Food Safety and Technology
Food Safety and Laboratories is coordinating a series of technical workshops. This workshop is designed to
Technology Laboratory provide scientific information, demonstrate proper processing procedures, in-house
Bahamas quality control procedures and issues regarding food safety, Good Manufacturing
24 – 25 August, 2010 Practices and personnel hygiene. It will further stimulate the interest of the small and
cottage entrepreneurs and the potential processors and enhance their capacity to
provides Bahamians with food that is competitive, nutritious, safe and wholesome.
Wed 25 Young Leadership Forum The forum is geared towards young professionals from public and private institutions
Bay Gardens Inn involved in the agricultural sector and agricultural producers from different regions
St Lucia throughout Saint Lucia. Its purpose:- to enable them to acquire a global vision of
25 – 27 August 2010 agriculture thus enhancing their leadership skills; establishing them in a position to
promote a series of strategic dialogues from which they may derive an in-depth view of
those processes that influence agriculture and rural development in the hemisphere. The
aim is to enhance their abilities to grasp the new roles they must play at national and
international levels.
ECTAD planning meeting The Eastern Caribbean Trading Agriculture and Development Organisation (ECTAD) in its
St. Vincent & Grenadines continued effort to promote farming as a viable and sustainable business will hold a one
25 August 2010 day Crop Production and Marketing planning conference on Wednesday August 25th,
2010 at the National Insurance Scheme (NIS) training room in Kingstown commencing at
10:00am. The planning committee, set up in 2009 to organize crop production linking to
targeted local and overseas markets; link food production to health, nutrition, tourism;
and link crop production to the overall marketing programme of the Caribbean Farmers
Network (CAFAN), will review ECTAD/CaFAN’s production and marketing strategies and
the current production in SVG, identification of marketing opportunities available both
local and overseas and introduction to ECTAD sister organisations from Grenada and
Guyana among others.
Taste of the Caribbean This event is hosted by Choices Restaurant, College of The Bahamas and offers an
Luncheon College of The opportunity to taste the imaginative three-course meals prepared by chefs from the
Bahamas, Bahamas ‘Mystery Basket’ containing a range of food items: local items undoubtedly being the
25 August, 2010 favourite.
Thurs 26 Agriculture Think-Tank The Agriculture Think Tank is an effort by IICA-Bahamas and the BAFY–Bahamas
Summer Student Intern Agricultural Forum for Youth – which brings youth in agriculture and professionals together
Program 2010, Bahamas with a view to encouraging the youth to choose careers in agriculture. Also, through its
26 August, 2010 monthly meetings (March – October) solutions to various issues and topics in agriculture
are tackled. The forum which is scheduled to take place at the Finn Damtoft Agriculture
Library is also a wonderful avenue for networking.
Fri 27 Anse-la-Raye Seafood A traditional fishing village, Anse-la-Raye, located on the west coast just south of Castries
Friday hosts its SeaFood Friday which provides a readily accessed market to local fishermen and
St. Lucia supports other agri-food businesses which participate. A wide range of local seafood,
27 August 2010 which is globally promoted as the ‘healthier protein’, will be available to all visitors.
Sat 28 Dennerey Fish Festival Fish festivals are a fairly popular avenue to promote the fishing industry and garner
St. Lucia support for the industry in the region. The Dennerey Fish Festival, held in the east coast and
28 August, 2010 traditionally fishing village of Dennerey, is a major attraction and provides important
support to the local seafood industry and agri-food sector.
Sun 29
The full August and other monthly calendars can be viewed on www.carapn.net.
Please send information about your events to keep all stakeholders informed and updated on time to Diana.Francis@iica.int

a project of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation