ABOUT THE CARIBBEAN REGIONAL CENTRE (CaRC)
 

Our Mission

The CaRC's mission is to provide cooperation services and facilitate regional dialogue among Member States to reposition Caribbean agiculture to operate sustainably and competitively in the global market for the maximum and equitable benefit of Caribbean peoples.

Our Vision

The CaRC's vision is to become an effective partner in the quest to transform and reposition the Caribbean agri-food system to one which is competitive and equitable within a sustainable.

1.THE CARIBBEAN REGIONAL CENTER (CaRC)

The CaRC is one of the five Regional Centers created in 1995 by the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) as part of the Institute’s decentralization process within its 1994-1998 Medium Term Plan (MTP). This decentralization process allows IICA to more effectively provide services that are client driven, delivered with flexibility and in a timely fashion to its Member Countries. These services are guided by the Caribbean Differentiated Strategy (CDS) which reflects the uniqueness of the Region whilst taking into consideration the peculiarities of the individual countries and the hemispheric and universal realities.

1.1 Member Countries
The 14 member countries of the CaRC are: Antigua and Barbuda, Commonwealth of the Bahamas, Barbados, Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St Kitts and Nevis, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago.
 

1.2 Organizational Structure
The CaRC consists of:

2. IICA’S PRIORITY ACTIONS IN THE REGION
 

2.1 Medium Term Priorities
Our work in the Caribbean is in those areas of high priority at the regional and/or national levels and which fit under the framework of the Institute’s objectives as detailed in the 1998-2002 MTP. The CaRC’s Medium Term Priorities are targeted to:
 

1. Support in the Regional Transformation Programme (RTP) for agriculture in order to improve competitiveness of and equity in the region’s agricultural sector.
    

2. Supporting to the Caribbean integration process.
    

3. Improving IICA’s Corporate Leadership to support the transformation of Caribbean Agriculture.
    

4. Developing of Human Capital (within and outside IICA)
    

2.2 Strategy
The CaRC’s strategy is to provide excellence in technical cooperation in the following six strategic areas:

For further information on CaRC Programs click here

The Regional Planning Programming and Projects Unit (RPPPU), which is based in Barbados, supports these thematic areas.
 

2.3 Technical Cooperation Instruments
IICA through the CaRC has forged strategic alliances with other institutions, such as, the Caribbean Agriculture Research and Development Institute (CARDI) and the Caribbean Network for Integrated Rural Development (CNIRD), the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), the University of the Virgin Islands (UVI) and the University of the West Indies (UWI) that can complement and enhance the technical cooperation services provided by the Institute. These various agreements allow the CaRC to collaborate within the following areas:
 

2.4 IICA’s Beneficiaries
 

The Institute’s primary target beneficiaries for its cooperation actions are from the public and private sectors, such as, agri-food producers, including rural women indigenous peoples, youth and small agro-processors, and the research and extension arms of the Ministries of Agriculture, Sector Planners, NGOs and related farmers and commodity agencies and organizations.
 

3. PROJECTS AND SERVICES

There are two types of projects administered within the CaRC, viz Multinational (Regional) and National. In addition, there are services relative to Programming, Policy, and Planning and Agroenterprise Development.
 

3.1 Multinational (Regional)
 

3.1.1 Trade and Integration
The need to strengthen capabilities in the areas of policy analysis and formulation and trade negotiations is widely accepted. IICA’s Regional Trade & Integration Program recognizes that the 21^st Century will be a tumultuous period for Caribbean countries since most of these countries are, simultaneously involved in high level regional, hemispheric and international free trade negotiations. The outcome of these negotiations holds significant implications for agri-food sector competitiveness.
 

To ensure that the region secures benefits, which may emerge from these negotiations, the T&IP will actively support initiatives to upgrade public and private sector capabilities in order to:
Place emphasis on analyzing the problems of agriculture; studying the evolution of trade and its impact on agriculture; analyzing the competitiveness of agri-food systems; and designing and establishing price and market information systems. Special attention will also be paid to strengthening the process aimed at integrating the Caribbean with other regions of the hemisphere.
 

3.1.2 Technology Innovation.
Efforts will be made to spur the development of national technology innovation systems; prepare and execute programs and projects to improve agricultural competitiveness; and conserve and multiply plant genetic resources. These broad objectives within the area of technology innovation will be achieved through the following two regional projects:
 

a. Supporting the Development of Tropical Fruits in the Caribbean
 

Commenced in 1986 as a direct response to the initiative taken by CARICOM Governments to embark on an agricultural diversification program, the project has contributed to the development of the fruit sub-sector in the Caribbean. The governments of Canada and France have also provided funds over the years to support the execution of project activities. Some of the major aims/achievements to date include:

b. Supporting Agricultural Science and Technology in the Caribbean:
 

This project aims to enhance the capabilities of public and private, national and multinational organization’s in the member states, involved in technological development, agricultural research and extension and natural resource management to:

3.1.3 Agricultural Health
Priority will be given to strengthening national and regional agricultural health systems, especially in connection with the management of emerging high-risk situations. Actions in this area will involve the control of pests and diseases, and the dissemination of international regulations.
 

3.1.4 Rural Development
Although there are no regional initiatives within this Area of Concentration IICA’s national programs have areas of commonality with emphasis on drawing up and implementing rural development projects; on programs supporting rural youth, indigenous communities, rural women and the organization of trade associations; and on programs designed to foster rural agro-industry.
 

3.1.5 Education and Training
Further support will be provided to the Caribbean Council of Higher Education in Agriculture (CACHE) in implementing evaluation mechanisms, modernizing curricula, validating courses, recognizing qualifications and degrees, and facilitating exchanges for professors and students. Further advisory assistance will be provided and training programs conducted for academic centers and national rural extension systems.
 

For further details please check the CACHE Home Page on this site.
 

3.1.6 Agribusiness Development
IICA will continue to support the efforts of the Caribbean Agribusiness Association (CABA) to promote and organize the agribusiness sector in the region. This support will be associated with CABA’s activities in the fields of trade and agricultural policy, and its efforts to develop links between the public and private sectors, and between agriculture and other sectors.
 

For further details please check the CABA Home Page on this site.
 

3.2 National Projects
National Projects are those that have specific interests and requirements of the particular Member Country. However, the principles followed, the lessons learned and experiences obtained may be applicable to other national situations.
 

Details of the National Projects are found with the information for the respective Country Offices or Technical Cooperation Agencies

The IICA Caribbean library database "BIBLIO" contains information on general agriculture and related areas: rural development, sustainable development, natural resources, fruits and plant pests and disease, in the wider Caribbean and Latin America.

The current holdings of the Information Centre at IICA  cover a range of types of literature. Included are monographs, reports, conference proceedings, journals and non-conventional literature. A small collection of these items is available in Spanish, French and Portuguese.

Biblio is accessible via Agri2000 at http://www.sidalc.net