The 2017, Atlantic hurricane season was extremely active producing 17 named storms of which 10 became hurricanes with 6 of them categorised as major. Two of these, hurricanes Irma and Maria left a path of unimaginable destruction across the Caribbean. Thousands of residents were displaced, homes and buildings destroyed, lives and livelihoods lost and communications infrastructure obliterated. view
Following the passage of Hurricane Maria, reports from on the ground indicated that agriculture was totally destroyed. The Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) led CARICOM’s response and reported severe damage to farm housing, irrigation, infrastructure, feeder roads, forest reserves, coastal fisheries and widespread loss of poultry. For Dominica, this was significant since at least 25% of the population directly depend on agriculture for their livelihoods.
CARDI has partnered with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MOAF) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) to assist in rebuilding Dominica’s ravaged agriculture sector. Emphasis has been placed on providing short term relief to kick-start agricultural production. By restoring agricultural productivity on the island, livelihoods will be sustained and the dependency on food aid in the less affected communities will be reduced. view
The agriculture sector sustained significant damage from both hurricanes Maria and Irma. The Departments of Agriculture in St. Kitts and Nevis conducted rapid assessments of the damage and the information gleaned was used to focus relief efforts under the IICA/CARDI Technical Cooperation framework.
One of the areas of focus was the provision of seeds and seedlings to farmers. Over a three month period starting in December 2017 farmers received seedlings for a range of vegetables. This phased approach prevented over supply and resulting gluts on the market.
Hurricane Irma hit Barbuda as a category 5 hurricane causing catastrophic damage across the small island. In its aftermath CARDI joined forces with the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and Barbuda Affairs (MALFBA) and the IICA to conduct a preliminary assessment on the damage to the agriculture sector on 27 September 2017. Following this a short list was compiled prioritising the areas that needed to be immediately addressed for rehabilitating/rebuilding the sector. CARDI through the IICA/CARDI Technical Cooperation Agreement supported rehabilitative works and recovery efforts on the island. view
The Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) invites applications for the position of Food Scientist at our CARDI Belize Unit.
Please see the Vacancy Notice and Position Description for additional details
The deadline date for receipt of applications is 15 June 2018.
CARDI Strategic Plan 2018-2022: Building a productive and resilient regional agriculture sector
The Strategic Plan 2018-2022 is the Institute’s five-year road map for transforming regional agriculture into a modernised, competitive, innovative and resilient sector. In comparison to previous three-year plans, this five-year period provides the Institute with more flexibility to implement and achieve results for programmes and projects. This is deliberate, as the Strategic Plan emphasises results, impact and accountability.
The Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) invites applications for the position of Research Assistant at our CARDI Commonwealth of Dominica Unit.
Please see the Vacancy Notice for additional details
The deadline date for receipt of applications is 30th May, 2018.
CARDI Ministers’ Brief, March 2018: Jamaica
Contents:
-Strengthening Jamaica’s coconut industry
-CARDI Jamaica and the Climate Studies Group, Mona join forces under the Pilot Program for Climate Resilience Project
-New Zealand funded project positions Jamaica as the regional centre for training in small ruminants
-Investing in Jamaica’s coconut industry makes economic sense
Jamaica is one of ten countries, currently benefitting from the regional Coconut Industry Development for the Caribbean project, being funded by the European Union and implemented by the International Trade Centre (ITC) and CARDI.
The Institute has partnered with Coconut Industry Board (CIB), on several initiatives aimed at improving the availability and quality of planting material to farmers. Two sites on opposite ends of the island have been selected for demonstrating good nursery management practices to farmers.
The CARDI office in Jamaica, participated in the University of the West Indies Research Days, from the 7-9th February 2018, at the Mona campus, Kingston, Jamaica.
The Research Days is an annual event, which allows the University to highlight its research efforts with its collaborators and various partners. This year’s theme was: “Powering Development through Partnerships in Research and Innovation”.
CARDI, in collaboration with the Climate Studies Group at Mona (CSGM), mounted a joint display to outline the partnership under the Pilot Program for Climate Resilience (PPCR) Project.
