Welcome to CARDI

You're Here: Home / Welcome to CARDI

…Improving the quality of lives of the people of the Caribbean Region through agricultural research and innovation without compromising, biodiversity, biosafety, environment sustainability, and human health.

Who are we

For over 30 years the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) has been steadfast in providing sterling contributions to the growth and development of the agricultural sector of Member Countries of the Caribbean Community (CARICOM). The Heads of Governments of CARICOM in 1975 established CARDI to serve the agricultural research and development needs of the 12 Member Countries within CARICOM. In this context, CARDI as the only regional agricultural institution identified in the Revised Treaty of Chaguaramas has a critical role to play in the implementation and co-ordination of key Technology and Information Systems (TIS). CARDI, through national consultations in Member Countries is impacting on the regional food basket through commodity programmes – small ruminants, sweet potato, and other root crops, cereals and grain legumes, hot peppers and fruits and vegetables.

Mission

To contribute to the sustainable economic well being of Caribbean people by the generation and transfer of appropriate technology through agricultural research and development.

Goal

Increase agricultural and food production and productivity through the use of science, technology, innovation, information resources and sustainable natural resources management, thereby increasing the competitiveness of the agri-food sector and enhancing food and nutrition security.

Slogan

Improving Lives through Agricultural Research

Regional Food Basket

CARDI through national consultations in Member Countries is impacting on the regional food basket through commodity programmes – small ruminants, sweet potato, and other root and tuber crops, vegetables, cereals, grain legumes, fruits and hot peppers.

New Approach

The approach adopted by CARDI in pursuit of its mission is based on three pillars; bottom up/client led, working together, transparency and accountability. In fulfilment of its role, and in the context of the demand for a ‘New Agriculture’, CARDI developed its 2008-2010 Medium Term Plan (MTP) on the basis of three Strategic Axes:

The Development of Sustainable Industries
The Development of Strategic Linkages
Institutional Strengthening

CARDI, under the CARICOM Regional Transformation Programme for Agriculture (RTP) and being operationalised by the ‘Jagdeo Initiative’ is responsible for Sweet Potatoes, Small Ruminants and Hot Peppers. The Institute is also engaged in other activities with respect to a number of other commodities including roots and tubers, fruits and vegetables. One of the primary objectives of CARDI is to ensure that agriculture in the CARICOM Region achieves the goals of increased productivity, diversification, international competitiveness and sustainability. The aim, therefore, is to address critical issues such as food production and food security, as well as to improve overall socio-economic development including human resource capacity, environmental integrity and wealth creation.

Regional capacity

With its 12 field operations across the Caribbean Region, CARDI by virtue of its geographic spread and scientific capacity is uniquely positioned to respond rapidly to agricultural needs and problems identified by Member Countries of CARICOM.

Meeting the needs of the regional agricultural sector:

CARDI in its continued thrust to meet the immediate needs of the regional agricultural sector facilitates National Consultations on Agricultural Research and Development (R&D) in its Member Countries with policy makers, stakeholders and beneficiaries of the agriculture sector. The aim of these Consultations is to provide a cohesive and comprehensive approach in developing and implementing programmes at the national level. The hosting of these National Consultations on Agricultural R&D, an initiative of CARDI, is designed to enable CARDI’s stakeholders and clients to be proactively involved in the development and ownership of the Institute’s Medium Term Plan and its Annual Work Plans. In turn, this facilitates an integrated and cohesive strategy for CARDI’s stakeholders and clients to foster and enhance CARDI’s role to increase food production and food security in the Region.

Achievements in Research & Development

Seed production & technology to increase food production
Elimination of fruit fly to accelerate commercialisation of fruit crops
Development of the West Indies Red & CARDI Green hot pepper varieties
Establishment of offshore seed production capacity & supply of “Scotch Bonnet” hot pepper seeds to Jamaica after devastation of local supply by hurricane
Establishment of Integrated Pest Management technologies for diseases & pests affecting sugar, nutmeg, coffee and food crops
Improvement of rice cultivar “CARDI 70” in Belize
Development of Post-harvest technologies for root crops, fruits, and vegetables
Development of animal feeding systems based on forages and indigenous crops by-products including: bagasse, cassava, rice straw, citrus pulp and molasses
Development of improved technologies for regional non-traditional commodities including: hot pepper, sweet potato and small ruminants
Crop protection – Management of Citrus Tristeza Virus, Moko disease prevention
Training in pathological and entomological techniques
Training over 5,000 scientists, technicians and farmers in the areas of our focus