IICA BARBADOS COURIER Issue # 4

IICA Barbados

COURIER

April 2013

A PUBLICATION OF THE IICA OFFICE IN BARBADOS

IN THIS ISSUE – JAN TO MAR

The past few months have flown by and here we are again, with what amounts to my quarterly update for all of our partners, friends and colleagues. This year will be an exciting one for us here at IICA and we expect to see many new innovations in our operations and many changes.

The first three months of this year were all about Barbados Blackbelly sheep and getting prepared for Agro Fest. Damien Hinds, our intrepid National Program Officer, wrote a project proposal to the Canadian High Commission’s Canada Fund to improve the market for Barbados Blackbelly Sheep. This project was approved for the amount of CDN$50,000! Damien, with support from the IICA team, has been busy organizing studies on breeding and markets, and most importantly getting young people involved in raising Blackbelly sheep in conjunction with highly experienced sheep farmers.

Then there was Agro Fest! For a first timer like myself it was a wonderful eye opening event. We had over a 1000 people visit our exhibit. One new innovation we brought into AgroFest was the focus on Barbados Blackbelly sheep as the signature ingredient for the Gala Dinner and Plantation Brunch.

Change is in the air with respect to our ability to deliver our technical cooperation strategy. The European Union funded Intra ACP Agreement and SPS projects will be launched within a few months and will provide additional funding to support national priorities. One of my priorities has always been supporting youth and women. There has been a lot of interest building in the area of women’s enterprises and we are anticipating a number of new activities for women in the next few months.

Change is coming. The IICA team will use any and all innovation to propel agriculture forward in Barbados!

Jean Lowry

IICA Representative, Barbados

Innovation & Change in IICA Barbados by Jean Lowry

4th Edition featuring our Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Project

Article Page

Innovation & Change in IICA Barbados 1

The Barbados Blackbelly Sheep – Our National Treasure 2 – 3

What’s On in Agrotourism 4

Barbados Agri-news 5

Local Climate Change Initiatives 5

Performance Vision and Strategy Tools Caribbean Applications 6

IICA Barbados Staff Corner 7

IICA BARBADOS COURIER | Issue # 4 2

The IICA Barbados Office recently

completed a 3-month project (January – March 2013) aimed at improving the competitiveness and the sustainability of the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep production in Barbados. The Cdn$50,000 project was funded by the Canadian High Commission and compliments the work IICA, the Ministry of Agriculture and CARDI have been doing along the lines of protecting the integrity while improving the viability of the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep – considered a national treasure on the island.

The project was designed to target a predominantly youthful audience with sensitization of the opportunities that exist, a field tour, and information booklets on the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep. The activities/ were specifically targeted to Barbadian Secondary school students. The full list of activities completed under the project included:

1. An Assessment of the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Breeding Stock

2. A Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Industry Opportunity Seminar

3. A marketing promotion of Barbados Blackbelly Sheep products

4. Training in Appropriate Intensive Production Systems based on local feed sources

5. A mentorship programme pairing youth with successful local BBSheep farmers

6. Development of a Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Industry Logo

Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Breeding Stock Assessment

The assessment of the Barbados Blackbelly Sheep breeding stock was undertaken by Mr. Gerry Thomas, former officer-in-charge of the Greenland Livestock Research Station. The study confirmed that the BBB Sheep has very good genetic traits that influence the animals’ high prolificacy, low fat carcasses and high tolerance for internal parasites. However, the study reported on a high level of inbreeding among the BB Sheep population in Barbados which would eventually lead to the homozygosity of the breed which is currently still considered as having a heterozygous (having a wide genetic variation) gene pool.

This inbreeding has the potential of jeopardising the industry and it was therefore recommended that “new blood” be re-introduced by way of live rams or semen from among the flock that has been exported throughout the world (Trinidad, Jamaica, Guyana, USA, USVI and Malaysia). The assessment further recommended the implementation of improved production models in which there are specialist production units for: breeding, multiplication, and rearing for the market. Separation of these functions within the industry would allow for stronger guarantees for the production of authentic BBB.

Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Industry Opportunity Seminar

A The Barbados Blackbelly Sheep Industry Opportunity Seminars involved secondary school students, mainly those about to leave school and thinking about their career paths. Four (4) Secondary Schools and a 4-H Community Club consisting of approximately 100 youth were involved in four (4) seminars across Barbados. Students benefitted from the expertise of members of the Barbados Sheep and Goat Association of Barbados (BSGA) together with Officers attached to the Greenland Livestock Research Station. The seminars highlighted the myriad of business opportunities originating from the BBB Sheep industry with particular focus on the potential value-added enterprises that

could be established with-in the industry including the production of sheep milk, soap from the milk, and leather production. The opportunity seminar also included a BBB Sheep industry tour with stops at: Kendal Plantation, Greenland Livestock Research Station, Vic Johnson’s Farm and the Earthmother Botanicals (producer of sheep milk soap).

Students were particularly interested in the process of producing hay and they enjoyed their interaction with Youth mentor Carol Thompson who is based at Kendal Plantation.

The Barbados Blackbelly Sheep – Our National Treasure by Damien Hinds

Purebred BBB sheep are under threat due to inbreeding

Top - learning how to make

hay Middle - student

briefing with Damien Hinds

Bottom - sheep milk soap demo

IICA BARBADOS COURIER | Issue # 4 3

Agrofest 2013, which was held February

22-24 was used as the stage to showcase IICA Barbados’ Blackbelly Sheep Project. During the three days of Agrofest we put on a marketing blitz featuring BBSheep meat and value-added products. This exhibition was executed in partnership with the Ministry of Tourism and featured BBB Sheep cooking demonstrations for school children and adult audiences as well as a BBB Sheep industry maze which exhibited the multiple by-products developed from the industry.

A total of 8 cooking demonstrations were held over the weekend led by local celebrity chefs, Peter Edey and Max Benz. The pair literally had their youth and adult audiences “eating out of their hands” as they treated them to interactive cooking sessions. Over 500 patrons learned the various way to “sustainably prepare and consume” the high quality BBB lamb. A particular favourite among the audience was the ‘smoked lamb’ which was smoked using local fruit wood.

Under the central theme of “Sustainable Production and Consumption of the BBB Sheep” the BBB Sheep industry maze was also a popular feature of the exhibit. Attracting over 1000 patrons, the maze provided useful insights on the opportunities that exist within the sector and gave patrons a chance to see first-hand the nature and quality of the work being undertaken locally within the value-added sub-sector. Products displayed included, sheep milk soap, leather craft (floor rugs, hand bags, jewellery), sheep milk soap, and art and crafts that depict the BBB Sheep.

The pictures at the top feature chefs Peter Edey (left) and Max Benz with primary school children, wood smoked lamb and items on exhibit in the Blackbelly Sheep Maze.

The Blackbelly Sheep Logo One of the successes of the project was the development of an industry logo. The logo was designed by the graphics artist at the Barbados Investment and Development Corporation (BIDC) and the design was agreed to by a committee that included the BIDC, the Barbados Sheep and Goat Association (BSGA) and IICA. The main considerations when developing the logo were:

The logo should be in the form of a shield, depicting the fact that the BBB Sheep is a ‘treasure’ to Barbados.

The distinct marks of the animal are clearly identified so that it could be distinguished from other small ruminants.

The logo would be used as a mark of quality and would be available to both local producers of the meat and other by-products of the BBB Sheep

The BBB Sheep maintains its prominence on the Barbadian landscape and there are tremendous opportunities for increasing the production of the animals for their high quality (Grade A) meat and other value-added products such as leather and soap. The youth in Barbados have responded to the call for their greater involvement in the sector with many of the over 100 youth involved in the project expressing an interest in BBB Sheep husbandry and the production of by-products.

With much emphasis on the development of small ruminant sectors across the region, IICA is thankful to the High Commission of Canada for providing support to the industry in Barbados. With its technical expertise in the Caribbean and beyond, IICA stands ready to work with the BBB Sheep farmers in Barbados to improve the sustainability and competitiveness of the local BBB Sheep industry.

IICA BARBADOS COURIER | Issue # 4 4

What’s on in Agrotourism

The Focus is on FOOD! by Roxanne Waithe

IICA is in the food business. Without

agriculture there is no food. Our mission is to help make agriculture competitive and sustainable, and to improve the lives of people in rural areas. Our technical cooperation programme involves improving food production, promoting food safety, developing trade in the agri-food sector and managing food security.

Where’s the Food in Agrotourism?

Agrotourism is one of the cross-cutting areas that concerns how food is produced and used in relation to rural lifestyles, activities and locations. The World Food Tourism Association (WFTA) explains that food tourism involves the addition of value to agricultural products. In 2012 the UNWTO published a Global Report on Food Tourism which revealed that the most important food tourism products currently existing in the surveyed destinations are:

food events gastronomic routes, cooking classes and

workshops food fairs featuring local products visits to markets and producers

Additionally, we have to factor in the contribution of the agri-food sector which provides fresh produce and other value-added products for local and tourist consumption.

Delicious Ways to Taste the Caribbean

Caribbean cuisine already has international recognition and appeal. Each country has at least one signature dish that tourists specifically ask for when they visit; whether it is sancoche from Dominica, cracked conch in the Bahamas, or pepperpot from Guyana. The Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA) hosts a prestigious regional food tourism event called Taste of the Caribbean™ which celebrates and showcases Contemporary Caribbean Cuisine and culture featuring workshops, tastings, demonstrations, and social events. In 2013, it will be held in Miami for the third consecutive year.

Our food is featured in international restaurants, food TV networks, and magazines but clearly our rural dwellers are not receiving the benefits from these ventures. Why? Maybe it is because the focus is on tourism and NOT agriculture. We need

to occupy an equal space in the limelight and show the world that agriculture is sexy too!

Agriculture is a Sexy Business

We take sunshine, soil and fresh air and work in harmony with nature to make fantastic raw materials that become desirable food. We in the agriculture industry may appreciate this phenomenon but others may see farming as nothing more than a way to produce food. We need to reconceive our agriculture as being as an ‘experience’ rather than an item that ends up on a plate.

Agrotourism makes local agriculture personal. It brings locals and tourists into contact with the modern day farmer no longer epitomized by grizzly old men hoeing rows of lettuce with dirt caked on their hands, faces and boots. Nowadays, farmers are looking beyond the dirt and into how technology and international networking can make the local industry sexier and more productive.

Consider a regional example in the case of Lesley-Ann Jurawan of Delft Cocoa Plantations, Trinidad. Jurawan is a cocoa farmer who manages the upkeep of the cocoa plants, sources experienced labour for harvesting and oversees the cocoa fermentation and drying processes. After undertaking courses in chocolate making and the chocolatier business, she extended her operations and set up the Violetta Fine Chocolates arm of the plantation that produces chocolate products like truffles and cupcakes.

Ms. Jurawan started offering plantation tours and educational chocolate parties and testifies that the agrotourism element of her business is an easy product to market, since T&T’s trinitario cocoa flavourful taste profile attracts substantial international attention. Her income is significantly increased because people are just lining up to visit her cocoa farm, and they are paying in $US and Euros.

Where does IICA fit in this equation?

The fact is IICA is already involved in Caribbean agrotourism development with initiatives dating back to 2004. In February this year Mrs. Ena Harvey, our Management Coordinator for the Caribbean and Agrotourism Specialist, participated in a stakeholder workshop hosted by the Caribbean Tourism Organization (CTO) to

discuss a Caribbean Food Tourism Strategy and Action Plan. One of the aims of the project entitled “Gastronomic Product Development and Promotion for Caribbean Destinations” was to strengthen the linkages between food tourism and the agro, cultural and heritage tourism niches. Given IICA’s involvement with agrotourism initiatives in the region, we were asked to provide inputs related specifically to our work in this area.

Considerably more work needs to be done at the national and community (grassroots) level to ramp up agriculture as a whole. IICA, in collaboration with our strategic partners, does phenomenal work with rural women, indigenous, and community based groups across all main areas of technical cooperation, including agrotourism. But how much of this is communicated and ‘celebrated’ on a wider scale? How many people know about the agrotourism treasures in the Rupununi community in Guyana, Buff Bay Valley in Jamaica, or Commewijne Community in Suriname?

Perhaps through IICA’s internal communication network and closer collaboration with national, regional and international media, we can help to create more excitement around agriculture. Our chance is coming up at the Caribbean Week

in Otocber this year! of Agriculture

Agriculture is a sexy business….. We take

sunshine, soil and fresh air and work in harmony with nature to make fantastic

raw materials that become desirable food.

IICA BARBADOS COURIER | Issue # 4 5

LATEST AGRI-NEWS BARBADOS Local Climate Change Initiatives

War on Giant African Snails March 2013 - The Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Water Resource Management is reporting a major victory in the battle against the Giant African Snail. Head of the Ministry's Entomology Section, Ian Gibbs, credited three main aspects for the decline in the populations of the Giant African Snail - the Ministry's Bounty Programme; natural predators such as the mongoose; blackbird; cattle egret; millipede; centipede; toad and rat; and control measures taken by average citizens. Over 12 million snails have been removed from the population.

Barbados rejoins CABI

Feb. 2013 - The Ministry of Agriculture, Food, Fisheries and Water Resource Management has renewed its membership with the Centre for Agricultural Bioscience International (CABI). CABI has been involved in implementing an Integrated Pest Management (IPM) programme for cotton farmers in Barbados and with the control of the Pink Hibiscus Mealy Bug. Through its membership in CABI, Barbados hopes to gain access to training for the Ministry’s technical staff, especially for the transfer of knowledge and improvements in their sanitary and phytosanitary capabilities. This area is critical in light of the fact that the Ministry is in the process of establishing a National Agricultural Health and Food Control System, intended to ensure that Barbados’ agricultural exports comply with international standards.

In the first week of April 2013 the Embassy of the United States for Barbados partnered with The Future Centre Trust, a local NGO for Climate Change education. Primary school students in Barbados now have access to an educational animated video about climate change. The short, Embassy-funded video raises awareness about how climate change affects the Caribbean and how our young people can make an impact on their environment. The video will be distributed to primary schools across the island and is part of an instructional series that includes books on climate change and protecting the environment.

On March 4th

2013, the Inter-American Development Bank released a web-story recognizing Barbados as a leader in coastal management endeavours in Latin America and the Caribbean. Specifically, the construction of a kilometer-long boardwalk between Rockley and Coconut Court on the southern coast of Barbados and the comprehensive approach to coastal and marine management, are considered a best-practice model for the Caribbean. From 2002 to 2009, the country built headlands, breakwaters, retaining walls, and walkways and revetments to stabilize its shoreline and control beach erosion on the south and west coasts that take into account disaster risk and the impact of climate change.

Young People in the Field

In February 2013 the Queens College Environmental Club approached IICA for help in setting up a school garden on their premises. The school does not have agriculture as part of their curriculum. However over fifty students aged 11 – 18 attended the lunchtime lecture given by Carol Thomas, our AHFS Specialist on good agricultural practices. Damien Hinds, our National Programme Technical Officer received a similar response for his session on backyard gardening.

IICA Barbados acquired cucumber, okra, butternut squash, lettuce, cabbage, thyme, parsley, and a variety of other seedlings for the group and a team of fifteen dedicated students got hands-on experience in setting up the garden on the school grounds ably led by Damien Hinds.

IICA BARBADOS COURIER | Issue # 4 6

PVS COUNTRY DATES OF

APPLICATION

Sanitary and

Phytosanitary Measures

All CARICOM

Member States

2008-2009

National Plant

Protection Organizations

The Bahamas 2009

Jamaica 2012

Guyana 2012

Suriname 2012

Veterinary Services Jamaica 2007

Bahamas 2012

Food Safety Trinidad and Tobago 2008

Jamaica 2012

The Bahamas 2013

Antigua and Barbuda 2013

The development and growth of many

countries depend largely on the performance of their agricultural sector and this, in turn, is directly related to the quality of their national agricultural health and food safety services. Strengthening these services is a shared responsibility that requires investment and participation on the part of both the public and private sectors.

In an effort to contribute to the improvement of these services, the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) developed the Performance, Vision and Strategy (PVS) tools. The PVS tools are designed to help countries gauge their current level of performance, achieve a shared vision with the private sector, establish priorities and carry out strategic planning, to fulfill their obligations and take advantage of new opportunities.

The PVS tools were conceptualized and developed by IICA’s Agricultural Health and Food Safety Directorate and are available for application in all countries. The PVS for Veterinary Services was offered to the World Organization for Animal Health (OIE) for use as their official assessment tool for Animal Health System. The tool was adopted by the OIE and is applied worldwide by that organization. The four PVS tools developed so far are:

PVS for National Plant Protection Organizations

PVS for National Veterinary Services PVS for National Food Safety and

Control Services PVS For Sanitary and Phytosanitary

Measures

The application of these instruments relies on participation and interactions by various stakeholders in the private and public sectors. The PVS instrument is a structured assessment tool divided into several sections from which information is gathered relevant to the particular service that is being assessed. The main components that are assessed are:

1. Technical Capability 2. Human and Financial Capital 3. Interaction with the Private Sector 4. Market Access

These components are further broken down into several sub-components referred to as critical competencies.

APPLICATION OF THE PVS TOOL

The application of the PVS is a broad consultative process involving both the private and public sectors. The application of the PVS is carried out in three phases:

The first phase involves interviews and meetings with relevant stakeholders drawn from the private and public sectors.

The second phase consists of a ‘Common Vision’ Session. At this session all the stakeholders are brought together to discuss the preliminary findings of the assessment, to arrive at a ‘vision’ for the way forward and develop a strategy for achieving the vision.

The final aspect is the completion of the report of the activity which includes the findings of the assessment, the outcome of the Common Vision Session and recommendations. The report of the PVS is submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture and is the property of the country.

Over the last five years IICA has applied the following PVS:

USING THE RESULTS

The PVS is more than a diagnostic tool, it is a process oriented towards the future which can be used in passive or active mode, depending on the level of interest and commitment by the users and the official system in improving their national services over time.

In the passive mode, the PVS instrument raises awareness, improves understanding and informs the different sectors participating in the process regarding the basic components and critical competencies the particular system must contain in order to function adequately. In this mode the instrument can also be used to develop a shared vision, foster dialogue and adopt a common language for discussion.

The active mode is where the maximum benefit is realized and the best results can be obtained, assuming the commitment is present on the part of both the official and private sectors. In this mode, performance is assessed, differences are explored and priorities are established. Leadership on the part of the official sector is a critical element for success. This active mode is where action occurs for addressing the gaps and deficiencies identified, investments are made and commitments are carried out. Continuity of the PVS process is assured when a true partnership between the official and private sectors exists.

The results of the application of the PVS tools can also help to: 1) indicate the overall performance in each of the four components; 2) provide a relative performance rating in each of the critical competencies; 3) foster a common understanding in order to achieve greater levels of advancement; 4) help determine the benefits and costs of investing in the national service and obtaining assistance from financial and technical cooperation agencies; 5) provide a basis for establishing routine monitoring and follow-up mechanisms on the overall level of performance of the service over time, and 6) help identify priorities and specific needs.

Performance Vision and Strategy (PVS) Tools – Caribbean Applications by Carol Thomas

IICA BARBADOS COURIER | Issue # 4 7

IICA Barbados Staff Corner

This year we get up close and personal with our staff members.

IICA BARBADOS

COURIER

Baobab Tower Warrens, St. Michael Tel: 246.271.9210 Email: sharon.trotman@iica.int

Every man can tell how many goats or sheep he

possesses, but not how many friends.

Marcus Tullius Cicero

Sharon Trotman, Regional Secretary (pictured left)

1. What do you like most about working at IICA? Ans: IICA makes me feel like I’m part of a family.

2. What is the most difficult part of your job? Ans: Getting replies from the different Ministries in a timely manner.

3. If I was not working at IICA Barbados I probably would……. Ans: dance….

Sharon’s joke for the day:

A blind man walks into a bar... and a table, and then a chair.

Marcia Husbands, Assistant Secretary (pictured right)

1. What do you like most about working at IICA? Ans: The international environment and the fact that I get to interact with a wide cross-section of people from all over the world.

2. What is the most difficult part of your job? Ans: Making adjustments to accounts in the SAP programme.

3. If I was not working at IICA Barbados I probably would……. Ans: ….be running a day care centre.

Marcia’s mantra: Persevere in all you do. That’s the only way to get through.