Promoting regional trade and agribusiness development in the Caribbean

 3rd CARIBBEAN AGRIBUSINESS FORUM:

 STRENGTHENING THE CARIBBEAN AGRIBUSINESS SECTOR AND EXPANDING MARKETS THROUGH SMEs BUSINESS DEVELOPMENT

  Organised by CTA, IICA, CABA and the ACP-EU TBT Programme

Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 29-30 January 2017

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The 3rd Caribbean Agribusiness Forum is the result of a synergic collaboration put in place between the ACP-EU TBT Programme and CTA, and building upon two Agribusiness Forums held in 2014 and 2015 organised by CTA, IICA and CABA on the following themes respectively: “Enhancing regional trade and adding value to Caribbean agri-food products” and “Strengthening the agri-food sector and expanding markets“.

The previous Agribusiness Forums were largely focused on building knowledge and sharing success stories amongst agribusiness in the Caribbean. This year, the Forum will focus more directly on facilitating support to SMEs to expand their production and trade capacities. This forum will be organised under the format of a “Business meeting”, involving ten small and medium enterprises (SMES) trained in certification by the ACP-EU TBT Programme as well as other agribusiness and buyers working collectively under the CABA-lead “Collective Regional Export Strategy’. The strategy aims to support SMEs to act collectively in accessing markets and in the procurement of inputs and services. A critical part of the strategy focuses on supporting the SMEs to market and promote some of their products under a common regional brand or mark and to share the high cost of brand building. The products will be marketed through the Caribbean Agri-business Export Company (CABEXCO) which has been established for this purpose.

Objectives:

To foster exports of locally produced agricultural products and foodstuffs (with a special accent on staples and condiments).

  • Assessing certification support to SMEs and next steps
  • Identifying new market opportunities in tourism and export markets for the trained SMEs
  • Identifying opportunities for the SMEs in the CABA’s Regional joint/collective Export Programme–CABEXCO

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Programme and Background Note

Photos

Report

AGENDA

TIME ACTIVITIES CHAIR/ MODERATOR
DAY ONE
8:30am – 9:00am REGISTRATION
9:00am – 9:30am –     Opening & Welcome  of Chairman–Vermaran  Extavour

–     IICA Representative – Ena Harvey

–     CTA/TBT/EU Representative

–     CABA President – Vassel Stewart

Chairperson – Rex Collymore (CABA Trinidad & Tobago)
9:30am – 10:30am Presentation of the profiles of suppliers

(10 TBT supported firms)

Dunstan Demille (CABA, St Lucia)
10:30am – 10:45am BREAK
 

10:45am – 11:15am

Presentation of buyers profiles

UK– Pauline Wade

Canada-TBA

– Trinidad-Global Brands Ltd.

– Jamaica-Jamaica Broilers Group

Trinidad -Bermudez

Ena –Harvey–IICA
11:15am -11:45am Quality Management Systems and their role in market access

–       Global – Prysma Consultant

(Ricardo Rodriguez Casas)

–       Regional –Prysma Consultant  (Andre Gordon)

Nigel Durrant -CARICOM
11:45am – 12:45pm Agro-processing – experiences with implementing HACCP – ( 10 firms) Raymond Trotz (CABA Guyana)
12:45pm – 1.00pm The Way Forward for  Certification for the 10 firms CABA & Prysma Consulting
1:00pm – 2:30pm LUNCH
2:30pm – 3:30pm Buyer evaluation of products  of 10 firms and identification of market opportunities Moderator: Darwin Telemaque (CABA, Antigua Barbuda)
3:30pm – 3:45pm BREAK
3:45pm – 4:30pm Buyer evaluation of 10 firms and identification of market opportunities Cont’d Moderator: Darwin Telemaque (CABA, Antigua & Barbuda)
4:30pm – 5:00pm Discussion of  evaluation and selection of products
DAY TWO
8:30am – 8:45am Overview of  Previous day’s activities Vermaran Extavaour James Paul –CABA Barbados
8:45am – 9:00am CABEXCO Concept—Vassel Stewart
9:00am –9:30am Jamaica Experience (National) -Winston Stona
9:30am – 10:00am

 

Regional & National Joint Marketing Experiences

-CATCO  (Regional) – Vassel Stewart

10:00am – 10:30am Discussion
10:30am – 10:45am BREAK
10:45am -11:15am Introduction to the CTA funded online trading platform – Kirwin Narine

 

Winston Stona
11:15am – 12:30pm Presentation of the CABEXCO strategic  plan –Vassel Stewart
12:30pm – 1:00pm Discussion
1:00pm – 2:00pm LUNCH
2:00pm  – 2:30pm Review of CABEXCO Bye-laws and selection of additional Directors Allister Glean
2:30pm – 3:30pm Address by Minister of Trade and Launch of the CABEXCO Trading Platform.  
3:30pm – 3:45pm Closing Remarks Vermaran Extavour & Ena Harvey