THE European Union funded (EU) 10th EDF Agricultural Policy Programme for the Caribbean, launched in 2013, has been put on hold  pending consultations with the implementing partners.

The implementing partners of the programme funded at a cost of 8.6 million Euros in grant aid  are  the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture (IICA), the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute and the CARICOM Secretariat.

A source at the EU confirmed that the move had become necessary because the programme had been experiencing serious implementation problems.

Two and a half years had passed since the programme was launched in 2013 and only a fraction of the programme had been implemented so far, the source said.

“It is for this reason that the EU has launched formal consultations with IICA and its implementing partners in order to review the situation and assess the future of the programme.”
NOT SCRAPPED
The  consultations are expected to be completed within the next two months, the source said, adding that the programme had not been scrapped as is being rumoured.
“We need to discuss and find a way forward.”

The Intra-ACP/APP project was launched in March  2013 with the aim of increasing the capability of Regional Agricultural Development Organisations within the Caribbean in order to address the development needs of smallholders, especially women and youths.

The EU grant  is expected to contribute to improved policies and incentive regimes and  strengthened institutional and development capacity to support productivity and profitability of the region’s small agri-based producers/entrepreneurs.

This in turn is expected to also contribute to the wider development goal of household food security  in the CARIFORUM countries  and the eradication of poverty

The countries which will benefit include  Guyana, Antigua and Barbuda; The Bahamas; Barbados; Belize; Dominica; Dominican Republic; Grenada;  Haiti; Jamaica; St. Kitts and Nevis; Saint Lucia; St. Vincent and The Grenadines; Suriname; and Trinidad and Tobago.

The end beneficiaries are, among others, small farmers, fisherfolk, small-scale processors and traders, including organised associations and networks and women and youth.

By Clifford Stanley