19 th Meeting of COTED, Georgetown, Guyana, May 9 - 12, 2005

1. Promoting CARICOM/CARIFORUM Food Security GTFS/RLA/141/ITA Progress Report 19th Meeting of COTED, Georgetown, Guyana, May 9 - 12, 2005

2. Outline 1.Project Background, Objectives, Structure/Components and Management 2. Project Implementation – Report on Progress to date and Planned Activities 3. Strategic Considerations for effective implementation 4. Action for the COTED

3. Background • FAO/CARICOM developed the Regional Special Programme for Food Security (RSPFS) which was approved by COTED in May 2002 – US$26.1 million • Government of Italy provided US$5 million from its contribution to the FAO Trust Fund for Food security and Food Safety • Resulted in the development of an integrated Project entitled “Promoting CARICOM/CARIFORUM Food Security”

4. General Objectives to improve the food security situation …by increasing the availability and access to adequate quantities of safe, quality assured food products… The use of efficient, effective and sustainable water-resource related production systems demonstrated on a pilot basis on farms Tostrengthen the food and nutrition, agricultural and trade, economic and social policy framework

5. Project Components: Vertical and Horizontal Vertical Component (Country-Specific) Horizontal Components (Regional) Food Security Assessments and Training Community Nutrition Enhancement On-Farm Demonstrations of Irrigation/Water Resource Management Policy Integration and Training Trade Facilitation Training of Extensionists, Technicians and Farmers Marketing Support

6. Organization and Management • Project implementation is coordinated at the local, national and regional levels • Regional Project Management Unit (RPMU) located in Trinidad and Tobago • Strategic placement of specialists - to enhance Inter-agency multi-disciplinary value of project approach • National Project Steering Committees established in each country

7. Project Administration CARICOM Councils COTED, COHSOD Committee of Lead Agencies Regional Organizations and Civil Society Project Steering Committee RPMU National Steering Committees FAO: Technical Divisions and Italian Trust Fund Unit Rural Community & Farmer organizations

8. Status of Project Implementation • 3 main areas of concentration to date: • Preparation of country proposals (work plans) and establishment of demon plots • Food Security Assessments and refinement of approach to food security policy integration • Design and delivery of national and regional trade related training, provision of technical assistance and conduct of technical studies

9. The Vertical Component • Each country required to prepare a work plan • National authorities required to establish committees, identify national coordinator, select farmers, collect baseline data and put logistics in place • Aim is to establish 210 demonstrations and expose 2500 -3000 small farmers to improved irrigated vegetable production systems, hydroponic greenhouse systems and enhanced rice production systems • Emphasis on the adoption of modern micro-irrigation and water management techniques • US$1.58 million allocated to the country-specific vertical component

10. Status of Vertical Component • Missions undertaken to 13 countries in support of work plan preparation • Vertical Component Steering Committees have been established • Baseline surveys have been completed in some countries/others planned • Full technical clearance of 10 country work plans • Process of preparing and approving country proposals took longer than anticipated

11. Vertical Activities • In the case of Grenada support being provided as part of rehabilitation efforts • Activities have commenced in the Bahamas, Belize, Jamaica, St. Kitts and Nevis and Trinidad and Tobago

12. Vertical Component • Record keeping is being emphasized • Monitoring is a critical activity – a reporting template has been prepared and circulated to national coordinators • Seeking to establish linkages with irrigation, agronomic and related aspects of the FAO South-South Cooperation Programme

13. Planned Activities – Vertical Component • Completion of the design and preparation of on-farm demonstrations • Water (for agriculture) management studies • In-country training, field days and project demonstration activities • Monitoring of vertical activities • Regional Training Workshops • National and sub-regional level training

14. Food Security Assessments, Policy Integration and Enhancement Initiatives • This cluster of functional areas is an integral part of the horizontal component • Seeking to assess the food security status • Facilitate national and regional policy dialogue and conduct food security policy related training • Strengthen the national and regional policy framework in support of the attainment of food security objectives – Regional Food Security Strategy Paper • Conduct community nutrition enhancement activities – phased to follow areas above

15. Horizontal Components

16. Food Security Assessments, Policy Integration and Enhancement Initiatives • This cluster of functional areas is an integral part of the horizontal component • Seeking to assess the food security status • Facilitate national and regional policy dialogue and conduct food security policy related training • Strengthen the national and regional policy framework in support of the attainment of food security objectives – Regional Food Security Strategy Paper • Conduct community nutrition enhancement activities – phased to follow areas above

17. Progress–to-date • Food Security Assessments have been undertaken in Guyana, Suriname and Belize • Finalizing the methodology for the conduct of food security assessments in four other countries – Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago • Development and revision of instruments for the collection of data on vulnerable groups based on prototypes used by FAO • Multi-sectoral inter-agency Workshop on Food Security was conducted in Guyana

18. Progress to-date • Draft Terms of Reference prepared in relation to contracting the services of CFNI to deliver outputs under the Project • A draft outline of the Regional Food Security Strategy Paper has been prepared • Supported the convening of the Biotechnology and Biosafety Workshop on the theme “Towards Harmonization of Caribbean Biotechnology.”

19. Planned Activities • Finalise reports of food security assessments for Guyana, Suriname and Belize • Conduct food security assessments for Antigua and Barbuda, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Trinidad and Tobago and prepare reports of assessments. • Prepare an Overview Paper which sets out status of food security in the CARIFORUM region and also reviews current policies which impact on food security • Organise a regional training workshop on food security analysis • Deliver national level training on food security analysis and facilitate national level policy dialogue

20. Planned Activities • Prepare draft Regional Food Security Strategy Paper and facilitate review by experts and regional officials • Present to COHSOD and COTED

21. Trade Facilitation Functional Area • Objective is to enhance the capacity of Agricultural Planning and Trade Policy Units in the areas of trade policy analysis, trade negotiations and policy formulation • Provide technical assistance to Member States on trade related matters • Conduct technical studies

22. Progress-to-date • Training Needs Assessment • A Review of the Trade Policy Formulation Process • National Training Workshops Conducted • Regional Training Course in “Trade Policy Analysis and Agricultural Trade Agreements” • Initiated follow-up in-country training and technical assistance

23. Progress-to-date • Regional Clarification Workshop on Multilateral Trade Negotiations and Economic Partnership Agreements (EPAs • Investigation re disaggregation of the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) Database • Technical Studies/Papers • Analysing International Competitiveness

24. Progress-to-date • Support to the OECS • Collaboration with the CRNM in support of trade negotiations • Collaboration with ICTSD on Special Products (SP) and the proposed Special Safeguard Mechanism (SSM) • Presentations to Workshops/Seminars

25. Planned Activities • Continue in-country training and technical assistance • Collaborate with the Commodity and Trade Division of FAO in preparing documents on the link between trade and food security • Collaborate with regional institutions in developing strategies for addressing trade-related deficiencies identified • Some training activities will also be delivered which seek to enhance capacity in the area of marketing of agri-food products

26. Strategic Considerations • The need for Member States to assign high priority to implementing elements of the regional food security programme • Programmes pursued with support from other donors or specialised agencies should be coordinated • The need for appropriate mechanisms at the national and regional levels to facilitate policy dialogue on matters relating to food security policy integration

27. Strategic Considerations • Need to establish functional relationships with the programmes of specialised agencies (CARDI, IICA, UWI, CFNI) which pursue activities relating to food security in the region • The need to ensure the active participation and involvement of all stakeholders including the ultimate beneficiaries in activities planned under the project • The need to address the issue of sustainability

28. Action for COTED COTED is invited to: • consider the progress made with respect to the implementation of the Government of Italy-funded FAO/ CARICOM/CARIFORUM Food Security Project; • note the activities which are planned under the various components of the project; • urge Member States to continue working closely with the RPMU in support of the implementation of all the activities under the Project;

29. Action for COTED • also urge Member States to establish linkages between the on-going and planned activities under the vertical component and related activities under the FAO South-South Cooperation Programme; • further urge relevant Ministries and agencies responsible for agriculture, trade, health and nutrition to collaborate under the horizontal component of the project to ensure that the inter-sectoral and multi-disciplinary nature of food security issues are effectively addressed in furtherance of the goals of the Project; • urge Member States to establish effective national coordination mechanisms as a matter of priority in support of the action to be taken in relation to (iii), (iv) and (v) above.