Radio Grenadines

Agricultural cooperation between Caribbean and Pacific regions moves forward at 13^th Caribbean Week of Agriculture Inter-regional cooperation for agricultural and rural development has moved a step closer with the announcement that the Pacific region is planning to hold a regional week of agriculture in 2015. The event has been inspired by the Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA), whose 13^th edition is currently under way in Paramaribo, Suriname,  according to the minister of agriculture for Vanuatu, attending CWA at the invitation of CTA and the government of Suriname.

The announcement came during a meeting between the agriculture ministers of Suriname and Vanuatu, brokered by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA). Both countries agreed to work together to share best practices and improve agricultural and rural development. The encounter was held during the 13^th Caribbean Week of Agriculture, currently under way in Paramaribo, Suriname from October 6-10.

The future Pacific Week of Agriculture marks a new milestone in progress made by the Intra-ACP Agricultural Policy Programme (APP), which is working to enhance Caribbean and Pacific and interregional capabilities of agricultural sectors to improve food security and nutrition by increasing production and strengthening business linkages.

There are a number of parallels between conditions for agricultural production and the problems faced by producers in the Caribbean and in the Pacific. Both regions face similar challenges from climate change, natural disasters, high food import bills, small internal markets and reliance on a few export commodities.

The Intra-ACP Agricultural Policy Programme is run in partnership with CTA, the Secretariat of the Pacific Community (SPC) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA). In the Caribbean, other implementing institutions are the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI).

Together with partners, CTA has brought together Caribbean and Pacific businesses, producers, experts and public and private sector representatives on a number of occasions in recent years, to exchange lessons on how to strengthen economic gains for smallholder farmers and rural communities, especially women and youth.

At last year’s CWA, held in Guyana, women producers and entrepreneurs interacted with Caribbean and Pacific Ministers of Agriculture in order to engage the voices of women entrepreneurs at high policy level and in key policy processes. During this year’s CWA, Hon. David Tosul Butulso, Minister of Agriculture, Livestock, Forestry, Fisheries and Biodiversity of the Republic of Vanuatu, together with his Director General, Mr. Howard Aru, are attending at the invitation of CTA and the government of Suriname.

During the meeting with his counterpart in Suriname, Hon. Soeresh Algoe, Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, the Minister of Vanuatu expressed his desire to learn from the experiences of the Caribbean about intra-regional cooperation in agriculture, and in particular the organisation of the Caribbean Week of Agriculture.

“The Pacific will build on the experience of the Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA) to host its first ever Pacific Week of Agriculture (PWA) whose partnerships were announced recently in Samoa at the Private Sector Forum at the start of the Third International Conference of Small Island Developing States (SIDS),” said Mr. Butulso. “The next step will be to have discussions with ministers of the Pacific countries, but I think that the first Pacific Week of Agriculture will be held next year, in 2015.”

Earlier, the ministers of Suriname and Vanuatu spoke of the challenges their countries faced, and pledged their willingness to cooperate with each other. Suriname, which has good food security, has succeeded in cutting imports through increased agricultural production and now exports food including rice, bananas, fish and vegetables to other countries in the region, as well as to Europe and the United States of America. Previously an importer of products such as lettuce, sweet peppers and sweetcorn, local farmers were now growing their own varieties, said Mr. Algoe. Challenges for producers included climate change, salt water intrusion and food safety issues, he added.

Vanuatu, a country in which 80% of the population is engaged in small-scale farming, continues to import much of its food, including 300,000 tonnes of rice per year, said its agriculture minister.

“That means our food security is fragile,” said Mr. Butulso. “I need to learn from your experience, how you achieved food security,” he told his colleague from Suriname. “And maybe you can learn some things from me.”

The Suriname minister agreed to help Vanuatu with advice and information on rice production, and offered support with the proposed Pacific Week of Agriculture. “We are here and ready to help with any needs,” said Mr. Algoe.

CTA Director Michael Hailu, who attended the meeting, welcomed the opportunity for cooperation between the two countries. He said it was an example of how South-South partnerships can produce mutual benefits, and he pledged CTA support for moving arrangements to launch a Pacific Week of Agriculture forward as quickly as possible.

“At CTA, we have given support for exchanges between the two regions, the Caribbean and the Pacific, for example in agritourism, which can be a valuable source of revenue, especially for women,” he said. “There are a great many things that both sides, facing similar challenges, can learn from each other. Best practices should cross borders and oceans. That way they have a chance of having much greater impact.”

PARAMARIBO, Suriname, Oct. 5 — The 13th Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA), the premier meeting of agriculture stakeholders within the Caribbean Community (CARICOM), opens here on Monday with a focus on family farming.

The five-day meeting, which is being held under the theme “Transforming Caribbean Agriculture Through Family Farming”, will focus on three main streams of work: value chain development, climate change/climate smart agriculture, policy and strategy for agricultural revitalisation, and food and nutrition security.

And, Executive Director of the Caribbean Agricultural Research & Development Institute (CARDI), Dr. Arlington Chesney, said, on Sunday, that family farming has an important role to play in climate smart agriculture.

“… a tremendous amount of our production from farming comes from family farms in one way or the other,” he said in an interview, adding that the Food and Agricultural Organisation is trying this year to highlight the importance of family farms.

“As we look at the link to climate change and sustainability of the environment, there is an issue called sustainable intensification. And basically, this can only be practiced on family farms, because it depends on a special type of agriculture [that] is best suited for family farmers.

“We think it is the way that a lot of people are going. It started off with rice, but it is now into most crops. We can push this for the family farm activity so as to keep our environment very pure,” Chesney said.

Chesney also highlighted the importance of focusing on climate change and agriculture in the Caribbean.

“It is very critical. The Caribbean is one of the more active, in a negative way, in terms of extreme weather activities, be they hurricane or floods and the year before, droughts and the impact of drought and pest control. We need to understand it, how we are going to deal with it and how we are going to plan on it,” Chesney said.

“You will see some emphasis on youth, and we will ensure that in all the workshops that we have a sprinkling of youth. We recognise the development of our culture is changing, [it is] no longer primarily land and labour, it is knowledge and information.”

Chesney said CWA has been compressed into five days, forcing organisations to be more focused in their deliberations.

The Week includes three major workshops on policy, climate change, and value chains. These deliberations will surround the main commodities of fisheries, small ruminants, roots and tubers.

“So it is a really packed week, a very, very packed week,” he said.

CWA is sponsored in part by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), whose director, Michael Hailu, said the theme of this year’s CWA “is not only timely, given that 2014 is the International Year of Family Farming, but is highly relevant to the region’s family farms that contribute so much to its economy and way of life”.

He noted that CTA has, for many years, been supporting Caribbean agriculture through its work with various partners in the region.

“We are also taking the opportunity to highlight our efforts to encourage youth engagement in agriculture and the role ICTs can play in boosting agricultural and rural development,” Hailu said.

He noted that at CWA, CTA will showcase the finalists of the Science and Agriculture Film and Video Competition and ICT applications developed within the framework of the AgriHack Talent Caribbean Competition.

These interventions are aimed at bringing youth into agriculture.

“CTA will do its part to ensure that CWA continues to be a premier event in addressing key challenges and opportunities to transform agriculture as a vehicle for sustainable development in the Caribbean,” Hailu said.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Clifton, Union Island, October 7, 2014 – Park rangers and wardens from Grenada and St. Vincent and the Grenadines have taken part in joint training on monitoring coral reef health. A team of rangers and wardens then travelled to each other’s parks to help complete underwater surveying work.

Organised by Sustainable Grenadines Inc., this is the first Grenadines-wide field work expedition by and for members of the Grenadines Network of Marine Protected Areas. Six rangers and wardens representing the six marine protected areas took part in the expedition, together with expert trainers.

“The participants spent the first four days in Grenada where they learned how to survey fish, corals and the sea bottom, using a well-recognised scientific method to gather information,” explained Myles Phillips, of Sustainable Grenadines Inc.

“Following the training, we established permanent monitoring sites and did surveys in the six member marine protected areas, from land and over the course of a five-day sailing expedition.”

The work covered Grenada’s Moliniere-Beausejour Marine Protected Area, Woburn/Clarke’s Court Marine Protected Area and Sandy Island/Oyster Bed Marine Protected Area, and in St Vincent and the Grenadines, Tobago Cays Marine Park, Mustique Marine Conservation Area and the South Coast Marine Conservation Area.

Since 2011 these six sites have shared information and collaborated to promote the conservation and sustainable use of marine resources that are so important to local communities and to local livelihoods. Now the network is actively monitoring the health of coastal and marine resources in the Grenadines.

“This is a milestone achievement for the marine protected areas and can yield far-reaching benefits for the effective management of these national reserves,” commented Ms. Orisha Joseph Programme and Communications Officer, of Sustainable Grenadines Inc. “It has equipped the members of the Grenadines Network of Marine Protected Areas with trained staff who will be able to recognise and track changes on the reefs as they occur.”

The next stage of the work is to analyse the findings, compare them with past surveys and report back to coastal managers, local fishers and communities. Sustainable Grenadines Inc. will continue to work with the marine protected areas and local communities as they consider appropriate actions based on the findings of the research.

The research was made possible through sponsorship from the US National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to strengthen coral reef management practices on the Grenada Bank. Scientific expertise was provided by the Atlantic and Gulf Rapid Reef Assessment (AGRRA) Program, an international collaboration of scientists and mangers aimed at determining the regional condition of reefs in the Western Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. For more informaiton please contact Sustainable Grenadines Inc., Clifton, Union Island, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Tel/Fax:  # (784)  485 – 8779. e-mail:  [email protected]

Canouan, St Vincent and the Grenadines. Representatives from ten Organizations in Canouan received training on Monday 6^th October 2014 in Media and Climate Change Awareness as Radio Grenadines Inc. continues a series of training across the Grenadines.

A total of thirteen persons from various stakeholder groups in Canouan received training in: writing effective press releases, using proper photos and videos techniques, proper use of social media and awareness on Climate Change and its impacts.

Represented at the workshop were: Canouan Multi Purpose Co-operative Limited, Canouan Cricket Club, Management Team Sporting Facility, Canouan Police Department, Radio Grenadines (Canouan), Solid Waste Management, Canouan Government School, Canouan Coast Guard, Club Nuevo and the Canouan SDA Church.

The one day training workshop (also recently done in Bequia) forms part of a current project by Radio Grenadines Inc. to “raise awareness on climate change and other environmental issues in the grenadines through community media and internet radio” this project is funded by the GEF Small Grants Programme, UNDP.

At the workshop participants were given participatory exercises to create events with a budget for marketing, they then presented to the class a mix of methods that they would use to bring awareness of their event using their budget. Participants also wrote short press releases for the events.

Participants heard from Katrina Collins-Coy, founder of the Union Island Environmental Attackers, as she gave a presentation on how communities can adapt to climate change and other environmental issues. She shared her experience over the years working on several environmental projects in the Grenadines.

Group networking was encouraged at the workshop by way of specially designed exercises to encourage sharing of ideas. Snack and lunch breaks were also used to network the groups. By the end of the workshop everyone left knowing a little bit more about the functions and activities of other organizations around them.

Radio Grenadines will continue its training in the Grenadines over the next two months with training for Mayreau and Union Island next. Persons can learn more about the organization by visiting radiogrenadines.com

 

 

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, which is an annual campaign to increase awareness of the disease. While most people are aware of breast cancer, many forget to take the steps to have a plan to detect the disease in its early stages and encourage others to do the same.

Every year in Union Island the Nurse Celena Clouden Hospital celebrate Breast Cancer Awareness month by hosting a series of events.

Their activities for October 2014 are as follows:

• FREE Breast Examination at the Clifton & Ashton Clinics every Wednesday.
• Friday 17^th  - Pink Day , wear pink in solidarity for Breast Cancer Month
• Pink Cupcake sale at all schools $2.00 per cake
• Monday 20th – Breast Cancer Walk  starting from the Clifton Bus Stop 4:30pm
  Route  (Bus Stop – Crossroad – Badeau – Saltpond – finish at Mulzac Square)
  T-Shirts on sale $25.00  Hats-$15   Pins $5.00

Breast cancer is an uncontrolled growth of breast cells. To better understand breast cancer, it helps to understand how any cancer can develop.

Click Here to Read More

The Global Environment Facility, Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP) officially launched their office on Monday September 29^th 2014  in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

The GEF SGP is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and executed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), on behalf of the GEF partnership.

At the official launch which took place at the Ministry of Foreign affairs conference room were officials from GEF SGP , UNDP, the Government and community groups that received funding under GEF SGP.

The Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP) St. Vincent and the Grenadines commenced in June 2013 with the installation of a National Coordinator and later, the selection of the National Steering Committee (NSC). Prior to this all projects were processed at the regional office in Barbados.

Ms. Melene Glynn, Chairman of the National Steering Committee gave opening remarks and recognition to the community groups present.

Mr Stephen O’Malley, resident representative of UNDP and UN Resident Coordinator for Barbados and the OECS gave a brief overview of the purpose of the GEF SGP. O’Mally also stressed the importance to create transferable skills and results that matter when doing community projects.

National Coordinator, Hayden Billingy gave an update on the programme to date and also listed the groups that received funding to date.

Read the achievements of GEF SGP in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

Billingy stated that the GEF SGP allocation for SVG in Phase 5 is US$1.5 million of which $500,000.00 have been received so far. The actual commitment to groups whose projects were approved as of September 26^th is US$372,983.08.

As part of his presentation at the launch Billingy also explained the purpose if GEF SGP,  the process to obtain funding as well as the stages.

GEF SGP Overview

The  SGP  supports  community-level initiatives  across  the  range  of global environmental issues addressed by the GEF. The  communities  targeted  by  SGP  are  often the poorest and most vulnerable.

The  GEF  Small  Grants  Programme  (SGP) provides  grants  directly  to  Civil  Society Organizations  (CSOs),  including  Community Based  Organizations  (CBOs)  and  Non Governmental  Organizations  (NGOs)  to design  and  implement  projects  that  will  bring environmental  and  livelihood  benefits  to communities.

The areas that projects can fall within are Biodiversity Conservation; Climate Change Mitigation; Prevention of Land Degradation;  Protection of International Waters; and Reduction and Elimination of Chemicals/POPs.

He explained the phases that a project will pass through are:

STEP 1:  NGO/CBO submits a project concept.

STEP 2:  The project concept is reviewed by a Subcommittee of NSC and may  recommend a Planning  Grant or Full Grant.

STEP 3:  NGO applies for Planning Grant or Full Grant.

STEP 4:  Planning Grant and Full Grant approved by the  NSC.

STEP 5:  MOA signed between UNOPS/UNDP and the  grantee.

STEP 6:  Project Implementation including Monitoring & Evaluation.

GEF SGP, St Vincent and the Grenadines issued a call for project proposals  on  the  14^th of  February 2014 via (API, NBC, IKTV, Facebook and the UNDP website) which brought in concepts from thirty five (35) NGOs/CBOs.

Thirty  Five  (35)  project  concepts  were  reviewed by  the  Sub-committee  of  the  National  Steering Committee; 30 concepts were approved.

Twenty three (23) Full Grant and One (1) Planning Grants proposals were submitted by NGOs/CBOs , eleven (11) proposals were approved by the NSC, nine of which the NSC committed funding.

Billingy expressed thanks to his team, the National Steering Committee whom he referred to as hard working and the best in the region.

Several groups whose projects were approved received their symbolic cheques from Stephen O’Mally, UNDP Representative.

Read Nine Groups Receive Funding from GEF SGP, UNDP

Mrs Katrina Collins-Coy, Chairman of Sustainable Grenadines Inc. and also the founder of the Environmental Attackers in Union Island shared her experiences working with GEF SGP at the community level. She stated “we do not have to wait on government to do things for us, some of it we can take up as a community”.

Mr.  Nigel Scott, Deputy Chair of the GEF SGP UNDP National Steering Committee gave the vote of thanks.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The GEF SGP is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and executed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), on behalf of the GEF partnership.

At the official launch in St Vincent and the Grenadines which took place at the Ministry of Foreign affairs conference room on September 29 2014 were officials from GEF SGP , UNDP, the Government and community groups that received funding under GEF SGP.

Read  Official Launch of GEF SGP St Vincent and the Grenadines

Nine NGOs/CBOs received funding for various projects under the GEF SGP, UNDP  Phase 5, representatives from the groups received a symbolic Cheque from Mr. Stephen O’Malley.

Mayreau Regatta and Sporting Committee – Project Title : Building capacity on Mayreau and other Grenadine islands for the capture, population reduction and consumption of invasive lionfish to protect biodiversity (traditional fish stock) in our waters (including the Tobago Cay Marine Park) and for the use of lionfish byproduct (spines, tails and fins) for jewelry production, thereby creating livelihood forour fishers, women and youths. Full Grant : US$48,804.03

 

SVG Association of Music Professional Inc.  - Project Title : Education Entertainment to Influence Behavior toward Climate Change Adaptation in Vulnerable Communities in St. Vincent. Full Grant : US$50,000.

 

North Leeward Tourism Association - Project Title : Restoration of Biodiversity at Dark View Falls to address Land Degradation, habitat loss and Security of Livelihoods. Full Grant : US$49,652.00

Radio Grenadines Inc. - Project Title : Raising Awareness on Climate Change and other Environmental Issues in the Grenadines through Community Media and Internet Radio. Full Grant : US$45,280.37

Southern Grenadines Water Taxi Association - Project Title : Strengthening the Water Taxi Operators Capacity to Reduce the Amount of Garbage Entering the Coastal and Marine Environment in and around the Tobago Cays Marine Park. Full Grant : US$50,000.

Nayabingui Order of St. Vincent - Project Title : Building Local Capacity in Farmers in Sustainable Development in the Borden-Peter’s Hope Area, While Preventing Soil-Loss & Flooding”. Full Grant : US$37,362.42

Science Initiative for Environmental Conservation and Education (SCIENCE). - Project Title : Increasing Grenadines Biodiversity Education and Conservation Capacity. Full Grant : US$39,325.00

Sustainable Grenadines Inc. - Project Title : To Strengthen the Capacity of St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ Civil Society Organizations to address Environmental Challenges and to Replicate GEF Projects. Full Grant : US$50,000.00

Lions Club South –  Project Title : Improving the coastal resilience in St. Vincent through the re-establishment of coastal vegetation including mangroves. Planning Grant US$2,559.26

Read the achievements of GEF SGP in St Vincent and the Grenadines.

 

 

 

 

 

 

The Global Environment Facility Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP) St. Vincent and the Grenadines commenced in June 2013 with the installation of a National Coordinator and later, the selection of the National Steering Committee (NSC). Prior to this all projects were processed at the regional office in Barbados.

The GEF SGP is implemented by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) and executed by the United Nations Office for Project Services (UNOPS), on behalf of the GEF partnership.

To date GEF SGP, UNDP in SVG led by National Coordinator, Hayden Billingy and backed by the National Steering Committee (NSC) has has achieved the following in St. Vincent and the Grenadines:

• Hosted over 20 consultations throughout St. Vincent and the Grenadines with Civil Society Organizations (NGOs, Community Based Organizations, Faith Based Organizations and Schools).
• Partnership with the Ministry of Tourism, Sports and Culture, the National Community Tourism Organization, National Parks Rivers and Beaches Authority and Invest SVG to conduct a one day Project Writing Workshop for the National Community Tourism Organizations.
• Through an intensive collaborative and participatory approach including workshop, developed a Country Programme Strategy (CPS) for St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
• Facilitated in collaboration with Centre for Enterprise Development, a Peer Learning and Project Preparation Workshop benefiting 28 NGOs/CSOs;
• Facilitated in collaboration with SusGren the Civil Society Organization (CSO) Planning and Policy Dialogue/Consultation, which produced the CSO statement/Action Plan for the SIDS conference in Samoa
• Held a series of meetings with Government ministries and Statutory Agencies as well as business civic organizations and private sector agencies to seek partnership and assist CSOs in meeting their co-financing and in-kind contributions.
• Participated in national level meetings and projects (GEF IWEco, UNCCD NAP alignment, the ECMAN, OECS RACC, CEPF Integrated Watershed and Sustainable Financing projects etc.) to keep abreast of national priorities and initiatives that can collaborate with or complement the work of GEF SGP.
• Continues to work with CSOs to ensure projects are “gefable” and meet requirements for funding.
• Issued a call for proposals in February 2014, which brought in concepts from thirty five (35) NGOs/CBOs.  Twenty Four (24) Full Grant proposals and one (1) Planning Grant Proposal were eventually submitted by NGOs/CBOs;
• Hosted 9 National Steering Committee meetings.
• Committed nine (9) local project grants so far for 2014.
• One field visit for project monitoring.

The Global Environment Facility, Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP) officially launched their office on Monday September 29^th 2014  in St Vincent and the Grenadines in the conference room of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Kingstown.

Read Official Launch of GEF SGP, UNDP  St Vincent and the Grenadines