FAO pushed forward despite challenges

Despite the challenges that the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) of the United Nations faced, it continued to strive towards making headway in various areas aimed at reducing the effects of the global financial crisis, building partnerships with important stakeholders and attaining their mandate.

This was one of the messages that Florita Kentish, FAO Sub-Regional Co-ordinator (SRC) for the Caribbean made as she delivered remarks at the Farewell and Appreciation Luncheon held in honour in Barbados recently.

Yvonne Moses Grant, Division Chief of the Social Sector
Division of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) (left) and
Jean Lowry, the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on
Agriculture (IICA) in Barbados (right) greet Florita Kentish,
FAO Sub-Regional Co-ordinator (SRC) for the Caribbean
before the start of the Farewell and Appreciation Luncheon held
in Kentish’s honour at the Island Inn, Barbados.

Recognising that communication is key in attaining and strengthening relationships with stakeholders, they embarked on a number of projects in this regard.

This included “improved communications with stakeholders with the preparation and distribution of publications – FAO at Work 2012 and FAO at Work 2011. These publications launched at stakeholders’ reporting sessions in Barbados and shared with stakeholders in the OECS during various events, the use of media by staff, the publication of technical reports, the launch of a Eat Safely radio public service announcement (PSA) campaign and the highlight of FAO projects by National Correspondents as well as the showcase of FAO products and services at major agricultural related events such as World Food Day (WFD) celebrations and the Caribbean Week of Agricultural (CWA) among others,” she said.

Mobilising resources is another area that they worked on as with any project in any other industry, seeking and attaining funding is critical to the agricultural sector as well.

“We participated in initiatives to mobilise funds for the development of the agricultural, fisheries and forestry sectors including meetings with the Caribbean Development Bank to seek and use funds under its Poverty Reduction Fund and the Chinese Fund,” he explained.

The FAO would also be seeking to hire a Policy Officer and this appointment would go a long way towards enhancing their mobilisation of resources.

Meanwhile in the area of food and nutrition, they “continued our programme to target increased production and productivity of farmers and moved to put in place Food and Nutrition Security Policies and Action Plans at the Sub-Regional as well as national level”.

These initiatives helped the FAO address challenges in areas related to the climate, productivity, distribution, management and competitiveness; natural disasters; the weak economies of some CARICOM nations; the global financial crisis and the high employment levels; high debt; increasing poverty and food insecurity; weak demands for export produce and rising inflation in some territories. (PJT)