Logos Caribbean Regional Workshop

Caribbean Agrotourism Policy Setting Workshop

Bridgetown, Barbados, 2019

Strengthening the Regional Agrifood Sector to Service Tourism Demand and Promoting Authentic Tourism Offerings in Rural Communities

Workshop organised by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA), Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)
9-11 October, 2019, Bridgetown, Barbados

 

Background

The development of productive and fully integrated linkages between the Agri-Food Sector and Tourism in the Caribbean Region offers significant potential for repositioning and broad-based growth in the Agriculture value chain, and opportunities for channelling the Region’s diversity and building-in genuine competitiveness and sustainability in the tourism product.

Forging Agriculture-Tourism linkages capitalizes on the inherent ability of the Tourism sector to diversify the Caribbean economy, stimulate entrepreneurship, catalyse investment and assist in wider social development in local communities. Such linkages offer unprecedented  opportunities to stem and reverse the declines in traditional agriculture, stimulate the rapid growth in “new‟ agriculture and build resilience and sustainability of Caribbean economies. The latter is particularly critical for reducing the high levels of foreign exchange leakage in tourism, preserving cultural identity, reducing poverty in local communities and enhancing local awareness and good practices with respect to climate change and environmental issues.

Goal: To provide a mechanism for managing and increasing the local and regional development impact of Tourism and Agriculture through the creation of a collaborative and inclusive planning and implementation framework that can drive trade and new business between the two sectors.

Objectives

·         To promote linkages between the agrifood sector and the tourism industry to increase sustainable sourcing through the strengthening of agritourism policy and strategy in the Caribbean
·         To increase the understanding and awareness of the current deficiencies in the supply of fresh and processed agricultural products along the value chain and the actions needed
·         To design inter-sectoral and inclusive policies which promote PPPs for improved local food use and consumption.
·         To identify concrete regional projects that can be supported under the intra ACP EU funding.

Background Note and Workshop Programme

Press

Photos


PROGRAMME

DAY 1 – October 9, 2019

8h00  – 9h00 REGISTRATION 

9h00  – 9h30 OPENING SESSION
Chairperson: Ena Harvey, Representative, IICA Barbados
Speakers:
·   Welcome Remarks: Ministry of Agriculture and Food Security
·   Welcome Remarks: Ministry of Tourism and International Transport
·   Welcome Remarks:  Isolina Boto, CTA, Brussels
·   Welcome Remarks: Katja Svensson, Representative, EU Delegation,

TECHNICAL SESSION 1: AGROTOURISM DEVELOPMENT IN THE CARIBBEAN

9h30 – 10h15 Introduction of Keynote Speaker – Ena Harvey, Representative, IICA Delegation, Barbados [Remarks]
KEYNOTE ADDRESS: H.E. Liz Thompson, Barbados Ambassador to the United Nations [Keynote Adress]

10h15  – 10h45 SUCCESSES FROM RECENT INTERVENTIONS

·         Promoting Agrotourism Development in ACP Small Island Developing States
Isolina Boto, Manager – CTA Brussels [Presentation]
 ·         Promoting Agrotourism in the Caribbean
Ena Harvey, IICA Hemispheric Agrotourism Specialist, Barbados [Presentation]
 ·         Agrotourism in the ECS
Maria Fowell, Tourism Specialist, Economic Development Policy Unit, OECS Commission [Presentation]

10h45 – 11h15 BREAK AND GROUP PHOTO

11h15-12h30 TECHNICAL SESSION 2: AGROTOURISM DEVELOPMENT: TWO BASIC  DIMENSIONS – TRADE AND RURAL TOURISM

This session will focus on models for regional production integration and trade of priority food commodities (fresh and processed) required by the tourism / foodservice sector across the Caribbean, and initiatives for the development of unique rural-based attractions that capitalize on the shared heritage and traditions of the Member States of the Region.

Panel 1:  From Farm to Table: Innovations in Production and Processing

·         Regional Trade Opportunities in Processed Root Crop, Herb and Spice Products
Simpson DaSilva, Caribbean AgriBusiness Association (CABA) [Presentation]
 ·         Regional trade in coconut oil and coconut water
Ansari Hosein, Representative, CARDI [Presentation]
 ·         Supply of Fishery Products to Regional Tourism sector
Representative Caribbean Regional Fisheries Mechanism (CRFM) [Presentation]
 ·         Supply of Meat and Dairy products
Andrea Power, Hatchmans Cheeses, Barbados; Caribbean Broilers, Keith Amiel [Presentation Hatchmans I Presentation Broilers]

12h30 – 13h00 DISCUSSION / Q&A

13h00 – 14h00 LUNCH

14h00 – 15h00 Panel 2: A Buyer’s Perspective
Moderator: Terry Vanterpool-Fox, Barbados Tourism Marketing Inc.

·         Initiatives by MASSY Supermarkets to partner with farmers
Dunstan Demille, Purchasing Manager, MASSY St. Lucia [Presentation]
 ·         Dominican Agribusiness Board (JAD) and ASONAHORES
Claudia Chez, Deputy Executive Director, La Junta Agroempresarial Dominicana
 ·         Potential for the Development of a Regional Health & Wellness Sector in the Caribbean
Steve Andrews ,Soothing Touch Da Spa, Barbados and former Chair, Caribbean Spa and Wellness Association (CSWA) [Presentation]

15h00 – 15h30 DISCUSSION / Q&A

15h30 – 16h00 Panel 3:  Successful Models for Community Based and Rural Tourism
Moderator: Dr. Kerry Hall, Tourism Consultant, Ministry of Tourism and International Transport
 ·         A Regional Model for FarmStay and Rural Tourism
EuroGites Representative [Presentation]
 ·         Best Practice in Community Based Tourism
Paula Lewis, Manager, Belmont Estate – Grenada [Presentation]
 ·         Potential for Development of Regional Heritage Trails
Uwahnie Martinez, Belize & Tania Lieuw-a-Soe, Wi Uma, Suriname [Presentation]

16h00 – 16h30 DISCUSSION / Q&A

16h30 – 17h30 THREE GROUP DISCUSSIONS ON PRIORITIES FOR REGIONAL AGROTOURISM AND POLICY IMPERATIVES:

FacilitatorsAinsworth Riley and Brent Theophile, IICA
GROUP 1: PRODUCTION
GROUP 2: TRADE
GROUP 3: COMMUNITY BASED / RURAL TOURISM

END OF DAY ONE

DAY 2 –  October 10, 2019

8h30 – 9h00 PLENARY – THREE GROUP PRESENTATIONS ON PRODUCTION, TRADE AND COMMUNITY BASED TOURISM

9h00  – 10h00 TECHNICAL SESSION 3: SUPPORT SERVICES & CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT FOR AGROTOURISM LINKAGES

This session will focus on successful models and tools developed by both the public and private sectors and international agencies to link producers with buyers in the tourism sector; train and certify culinary professionals and build capacity in rural communities.  These models have the potential for upscaling at regional level in the Caribbean.

Moderator: Maria Fowell, Tourism Specialist, Economic Development Policy OECS Commission

 Panel 1: Successful models in ICT Applications and Training /Certification

·         V.A.C.H. (Virtual Agricultural Clearing House)
Noorani Azeez, Executive Vice President, St. Lucia Hotel & Tourism Association (SLHTA) [Presentation]
·         Tourism Linkages Network and ALEX Trading Platform
Ainsworth Riley, IICA Jamaica [Presentation]
·         Capacity Building for Chefs and Culinary Professionals
Jennifer Barrow, BCC Hospitality Institute, Barbados; Peter Edey, Dining Club, Barbados [Presentation]
·         Community Based Tourism Toolkit
Annie Bertrand, COMPETE Caribbean [Presentation]

10h00  – 10h15 BREAK

10h00  – 12h00 TECHNICAL SESSION 4: PROMOTING INVESTMENT IN PRODUCTION, TRADE AND RURAL TOURISM PRODUCT DEVELOPMENT

Moderators: Ena Harvey, IICA and Isolina Boto, CTA

Lead Paper summarizing available financing options for Agrotourism Development
CTA and IICA
 ·          Facilitating Financial Transactions re trade and investment for Agrotourism across the Region
Dr. Justin Ram, Caribbean Development Bank, Barbados [Presentation]
 ·         How Blockchain Technology Helps Young Caribbean Farmers Access Finance
Daniela Doyle, Develop Digitally, Jamaica [Presentation]
 ·         Cross-Border Investment in Support of Agrotourism Linkages
Rodinald Soomer, Caricom Development Fund [Presentation]

12h00 – 13h00 GROUP DISCUSSIONS

13h00 – 14h15 LUNCH

14h15 – 15h30 GROUP DISCUSSIONS (continued)

15h30 – 16h30 GROUP PRESENTATIONS IN PLENARY

16h30 – 17h40 FINAL RECOMMENDATIONS AND CLOSE OF WORKSHOP

DAY 3 –  Friday 11th October

Site visits
Leave Hotel at 9:30 for 1.5h tour
Adams Aqua Life – Aquaponics Fish Farm with Agrotourism tour.
11:45 arrive at PEG Farm and Nature Reserve – Biodynamic farm with restaurant and tours (2.5h total: 1 hour for lunch 1.5 hour for tour)

Return to Hotel

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