The
Caribbean
AgriBusiness
Association is
working with IICA to
promote
competitiveness and
exports among the
CARICOM states.
Caribbean Agri Business Association (CABA) Jamaica is spearheading the
CABA/Multilateral Investment Fund (MIF) project ‘Strengthening Market Access
Opportunities for (Small, Medium size Enterprises) SMEs in the Caribbean
Agri-Food Industry’. This project’s main goal is to promote the
competitiveness and exports of SMEs in the Agri- Food Industry in CARICOM
Member States.
With the project once again underway and the training tools under Component 1
completed, CABA recently embarked on a series of pilot testing workshops. The
objective of which, were to test the tools and solicit feedback from a random
sample (twenty in each territory with the knowledge that this number would be
less in St. Lucia) in approved regional training centres: Jamaica, Bahamas, the
Republic of Trinidad & Tobago, and St. Lucia.
The series of training tools developed were executed through the use of
Simulation Games, E-learning Mechanisms, Video Presentation, Trade and Market
Analysis Tools and Booklet Series, all with related topics on
Regional/Multilateral Trade Agreement, Trade and Market Access Maps, and Food
Safety and Food Quality Regulations.
These tools would enable SME's to access online databases of global trade flows
and market access barriers for international business development. Trade Maps
and Market access Maps provide detailed export and import profiles and trends
for over 5,300 different products in 224 countries and territories.
Eight Trainers from regional countries were trained in Jamaica between May 3 –
5, 2010. It is anticipated that these trainers will in turn deliver aspects of
the training at the pilot testing as well as train participating SMEs during the
national workshops. In so doing, CABA also ensures a mechanism of sustainability
at the close of project execution in January 2011.
Pilot Testing Workshops spanned a duration of two days in each of the four (4)
testing centres. They commenced in Jamaica on May 6th and concluded in St. Lucia
on June 8th. These workshops were a resounding success in that the objectives
were achieved vis-a-vis the feedback and comments received via the requisite
mechanism such as the evaluation forms and interaction with the participants.
This feedback is currently being employed to revise and/or update the training
material.
Success was also acheived by way of meetings with the Minister and the Permanent
Secretary in Bahamas who reconfirmed the commitment of the Bahamian Government
to CABA and its MIF Project. Through discussions with CABA representatives in
St. Lucia, along with the IICA Representative for the OECS, a commitment was
made to revitalize the once active St. Lucia Chapter.
National Workshops are scheduled to commence on July 19th in Jamaica and end on
August 4th in the Bahamas.
For more information, contact
trevor.murray@iica.int