Canadian Support for OECS Agriculture

Contact: John Emmanuel

Tuesday, November 13, 2001 – Canada is supporting the development of the agriculture and fisheries sectors in six countries of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) through two projects costing over CDN$600,000.

The Canadian-funded Caribbean Programme for Economic Competitiveness (CPEC) is contributing more than half of the total funding of the projects entitled “Building Capacity for a Sustainable OECS Fisheries Sector” and  “Assistance to Institutionalized Good Agriculture Practices” (GAP) for selected commodities. The rest of the funding is coming from associated agencies.

Over CDN$140 000 is going towards the fisheries project  which concentrates on building training, monitoring and inspection capacities for improved fish handling practices. The aim is to enhance the capacity of fisheries and related institutions in OECS states that are associated with the CPEC programme.

The project will involve the training of 45 fishermen in areas related to vessel captaincy, fish quality control, fish processing and marketing, and the adherence to international health and sanitary guidelines for fish and fish products.

Over CDN$189,000 is going towards the agriculture project which seeks to increase the economic competitiveness of the six countries in the export trade of  healthy, hazard free, safe and wholesome crops.

CPEC’s Project Manager Melvin Edwards said a harmonized system of procedures that meet the requirements of the international market with respect to food handling and safety will be established at the farm, pack-house, transportation and processing levels.

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