This document discusses strategies and policies around information and communication technologies (ICT) and agriculture in Caribbean countries. It summarizes various national digital strategies that focus on sectors like education, government, tourism and more. It also outlines challenges for agriculture in the region like financing, research and development, and transportation. Opportunities mentioned include measuring the impact of agriculture initiatives, improving access to information, and developing innovation policies that highlight ICT's role in sector development. The document calls for better coordination of overlapping initiatives and turning more talk into action.

1. THE NETHERLANDS
24-27 APRIL, 2013
CTA ICT Observatory
meeting
Strengthening e-Agriculture
Strategies in ACP Countries

2. Countries: 15 + 5 Associates + Observers
Population: 15 million +
Workforce: relatively young
Languages:
English, French, Dutch, Creole, Spanish
Trade Union – CARIFORUM ((CARICOM +
Dominican Republic
CARICOM AT A GLANCE

3. The main objectives of the CARICOM Single Market &
Economy are:
• full use of labour (full employment) and
• full exploitation of the other factors of production
(natural resources and capital);
• competitive production leading to greater variety
and quantity of products and services to trade with
other countries.
• ~ for improved standards of living and work and
sustained economic development
FLAGSHIP PROGRAMME – CSM&E

4. A Diversified services sector
Open and competitive markets
Greater utilisation of developments in
traditional areas ( e.g. Biotechnology in
agriculture)
Growth of regional enterprises
Growth of tele-work
Urgent need to reduce unemployment and
increase the employment rate
New Caribbean Economy

5. CONTEXT
Agriculture is a complex system, encompassing a
wide range of activities and issues:
family agriculture versus large-scale
agriculture, commodity production versus value
added at origin,
 productivity versus sustainability. hink of the
hundreds
industrial, medicinal and cosmetic applications, and
the thousands of subproducts produced by the
existing production chains.
 Elements affecting agro-industry such the
o weather, water, soils, pests, human resources, etc.

6. Inter-sectoral linkages
Agro-tourism;
Agro-ecology;
Agro-health;
Agro-education;
Agro-industry
 Transportation
CONTEXT

7.  Limited financing and inadequate levels of new investments;
 Deficient and uncoordinated risk management measures;
 Inadequate research and development;
 Outdated and inefficient agricultural health and food safety
(AHFS) systems;
 Weak land and water distribution and management systems;
 Inadequate transportation systems, particularly for
perishables;
 Weak and non-integrated market information and intelligence
systems;
 Weak linkages and participation of producers in growth
market segments; and
 Lack of skilled and quality human resources.
CHALLENGES

8. REVISED TREATY OF CHAGUARAMAS
The Community – include objectives:
improved standards of living and work;
full employment of labour and other factors of production;
 accelerated, co-ordinated and sustained economic
development and convergence;
expansion of trade and economic relations with third States;
enhanced levels of international competitiveness;
organisation for increased production and productivity;
the achievement of a greater measure of economic leverage
effectiveness of Member States in dealing with third
States, groups of States and entities of any description;

9. CARICOM Agricultural Policy
The major objective of the CAP is to develop
agriculture, fisheries and forestry in a regional
framework and perspective.
Caribbean farmers and agribusinesses need to be
supported to provide more food for the regional
market.
Rural livelihoods and youth programs must be
improved and expanded.
Little explicit mention of the use of ICT

10. CARICOM POLICIES
REGIONAL FOOD AND NUTRITION SECURITY
POLICY (2010)
FOUR (4) dimensions:
1. food availability,
2. household access,
3. nutritional adequacy (consumption/biological
utilization and care practices) and
4. the stability of the three components
NINE COUNTRIES PREPARING BY JUNE 2013

11. NATIONAL DIGITAL STRATEGIES
STATE/
AGENCY
ICT POLICY/
STRATEGY
KEY THEMES SECTOR FOCUS
Antigua
&
Barbuda
Policy –
People First
Affordable
access; modern
telecom’ strategy
Marketing, gaming,
software, education
Bahamas E-commerce;
2003 Digital
Agenda
Sustainable
growth and
development
E-business, e-government
telecommunications;
human resource; financial,;
content; tourism
Barbados National ICT
Strategy,
Health, wealth,
security
Human resources; quality
of life; socio-economic
(labour, community)
Belize E-readiness E-transactions Laws, HR, Government
Dominica E- Services; reduce Government, tourism,

12. NATIONAL DIGITAL STRATEGIES
STATE/
AGENCY
ICT POLICY/
STRATEGY
KEY THEMES SECTOR FOCUS
Dominica
n Republic
Strategy for
Knowledge
Sustainable growth,
equality. Social
inclusion
Access; digital
government, public
services; policy
Grenada Strategy and
Action Plan
Government,
business, education,
civil society
Government, legal
infrastructure;
human resource
Guyana Developing
strategy
Public sector reform,
HR, economic dev.
Education, content,
public sector
Haiti - Education, social
development
Education, health
care
Jamaica Policy and
strategy
E-government; e-
inclusion
Education, research.
Gov., industry

13. NATIONAL DIGITAL STRATEGIES
STATE/
AGENCY
ICT POLICY/
STRATEGY
KEY THEMES SECTOR FOCUS
St. Lucia E-development
Strategy
E-government Tourism; legislation,
training
St Kitts and
Nevis
Strategy - to be
revised
Infrastructure for
Information
society
Tourism, financial
services, education,
agriculture
St. Vincent
and the
Grenadines
Strategy and
road map
Public sector
reform, HR,
Infrastructure
Education, content,
culture
Suriname In process Education, social
development
Education, health
care
Trinidad and
Tobago
Policy and
strategy
HR, economy, e-
government
Education, SME,
health care, justice

14. AGRI INITIATIVES
 Trinidad - NAMIS (National Agricultural MIS)
namistt.com which matches buyers & growers
Grenada - a Farmers link up with Digicel
CaFAN Caribbean Farmers Network
UWI T&T have a SMS App for the sale of fish.
SVG - NAMIS system to match farm output with
Supermarkets.

15. CARICOM POLICIES
YOUTH STUDY - EYE 0N THE FUTURE.
Investing in YOUTH NOW for. Tomorrow's
Community. Report of the CARICOM
Commission on Youth Development. January
2010
ICT IN RELATION TO EDUCATION
NO AGRICULTURE
SERVICES ACTION PLAN IN TRAIN
INDUSTRIAL POLICY
ENERGY POLICY

16. ICT – REGIONAL DIGITAL DEVELOPMENT
STRATEGY
Collaborative leadership/governance (rationalise
overlapping functions of multiple agencies
Research and Innovation (application supporting
sustainability)
 Key social & Economic development measures
(ICTs providing a supportive environment in
communities, lifelong
learning, business, government)
CARICOM POLICIES

17. Is our Market share growing?
In spite of all the available policies – still need
for more Policies. Why?
Do these policies matter to the ‘person-in-the –
street’?
Driven by International Agenda?
Leadership
Political will
knowledge
 Are we reaping the rewards of our organic and innovative product base?
CHALLENGE

18. OPPORTUNITIES
 Global definition of
ICT
DEVELOPMENT
ohave been anchored to economic activities.
oThe UNDP Development Index (1991) - by coupling it as
sustainable development which speaks to “meeting
the needs to today and of future generations”
oat the simplest level, development implies growth or
maturation and advancement.

19. Opportunities
Document and measure the IMPACT of
Agriculture initiatives
Improve access to information for:
Policy and decision-making
Production
Agribusiness development
Research

20. OPPORTUNITIES
Develop innovation policies showing pivotal
role of ICT in SECTOR development
Manage strategically the overlapping related
initiatives - HARMONISATION
E.g. Early warning systems
Databases / data collection
MDGs / WSIS
POLICIES
MORE TALK !!!
 LESS TALK - MORE ACTION!!!

21. THANK YOU FOR YOUR
ATTENTION!
JENNIFER BRITTON
DEPUTY PROGRAMME MANAGER – ICT4D
EMAIL: jbritton@caricom.org
SKYPE: caricomict4dexternal
CONTACT INFORMATION