Backgrounder

Target 2015: The Jagdeo Initiative

. . . a Caribbean partnership to “alleviate major Key Binding Constraints to Agriculture”.

In an effort to enhance the positioning of agriculture in domestic and international markets,

President Bharrat Jagdeo of Guyana, CARICOM Head with Lead responsibility for agriculture
is spearheading a process that seeks to achieve a resurgence of the regional agricultural
potential. This process is titled the ‘Jagdeo Initiative’ (The Initiative). The Initiative will build
on past efforts in a more coherent, comprehensive and long-term development framework that
takes into consideration the changed global environment and creates an enabling economic and
business environment for competitive and sustainable agriculture and rural development.

How did this Process start?

In late 2003, President Jagdeo proposed that the Region build on its past effort to develop a Common
Agricultural Policy and requested the Director Generals of the Inter-American Institute for
Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to support the
CARICOM Secretariat in developing a framework for repositioning agriculture in the region.

At the 25th CARICOM Conference of Heads of Government (June 2004), the Heads agreed there is
need for a strategy and endorsed a process that would allow for agricultural development. The
Conference enlisted IICA, along with FAO and the CARICOM Secretariat (Alliance Secretariat) to
assist with the development of a framework towards a common regional agricultural repositioning
policy and strategy.
Since then, the process has identified 10 Key Binding Constraints to agricultural development in the
region. These constraints will be addressed in a manner which embodies the entire CARICOM agri-
food/products systems in a comprehensive and holistic approach.

The Jagdeo Initiative:

 is not an attempt to comprehensively reform the Regional Transformation Programme (RTP) for
Agriculture. It is based on the acute recognition that progress within a CSME requires the full and
immediate operationalization of the RTP, through the articulation of clearly defined intervention
programs aimed at surmounting the key and immediate binding constraints to agricultural
development while adjusting the policies as appropriate.
 seeks to define clear and practical interventions to breathe new life into the RTP. These
interventions take into full consideration of and incorporate and build on all relevant previous and
ongoing national and regional actions and mandates and commitments to international
programmes. It places them in an holistic, integrated and interrelated package in order to
maximize the benefits emanating from these individual and non-coordinated efforts.

The Jagdeo Initiatve visualises a sector that, no later than 2015, has:
 made substantial progress towards contributing significantly to national and regional development
and to economic, social and environmental sustainability;
 a transparent regulatory framework at national and regional levels, that promotes and facilitates
investment and attracts (direct and indirect) inflows of capital;
 significantly transformed its processes and products and stimulated the innovative entrepreneurial
capacity of Caribbean agricultural and rural communities; and
 enabled the region (as a whole) to achieve an acceptable level of food security that is not easily
disrupted by natural and or manmade disasters.

The Jagdeo Initiative provides the focus, framework and synergy that were previously missing. It is in
this context that it must be viewed since it provides an excellent base from which to continue and to
consolidate the individual efforts, resources and commitment of all who consider themselves part of
the growing Caribbean community. It must succeed in revitalising agriculture in the region.
 The ten Key Major Binding Constraints and the main Interventions proposed
The ten Key Binding Constraints are neither new nor novel and span the range from resource inputs necessary for
increased agricultural production and productivity to the administrative and institutional framework needed to facilitate
change. Institutional capacity in particular, has become a critical determinant of competitiveness.

1. Limited Financing and Inadequate New Investments
 Develop an Agricultural Modernization Fund (AMF)
within the CSME Regional Development Fund.
 Conduct a 2005-2015 Regional Agricultural Potential
and Food Needs Study to identify opportunities.
2. Outdated and Inefficient Agricultural Health and
Food Safety (AHFS) systems
 Establish the Caribbean Agricultural Health and Food
Safety Association (CAHFSA) and rationalize existing
National Agricultural Health and Food Safety Systems
infrastructure and services.
3. Inadequate Research and Development
 Improve coordination, integration, utilization and
strengthen the research and development capacity in
the region, including development a Caribbean
Regional Policy, Strategy and Programme on
Biotechnology and Bio-Safety and Inventory and
Assessment of Research and Development projects to
identify the gaps.
4. Fragmented and Disorganized Private Sector
 strengthen private sector organisation and
organisations;
 realign MoAs/related departments to better manage
and facilitate the multifunctional/multidimensional
nature of the ‘new’ agriculture;
 continue the restructuring of the agricultural curricula
of the university, tertiary, secondary and vocational
institutions in order to foment entrepreneurial thinking
and consciousness.
6. Inefficient Land and Water Distribution and
Management systems
 Countries should provide incentives for improved
land and water management as a major mechanism
to address inefficient land and water distribution and
management.
7. Deficient and Uncoordinated Risk Management
measures
 Develop an integrated and coordinated regional
approach to mitigation and relief, including
insurance scheme.
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 Establish and Upgrade Freight and Port
Infrastructure. Establishing critical physical
infrastructural requirements and services
9. Weak and Non-integrated Information and
Intelligence systems
 Consolidate and link various information systems,
 Evaluate the role of overseas services and Embassies
 Strengthen & link industry information systems
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 Facilitate access to EXIM-type financing,
 Establish Central Packing Houses,
 Support national distribution channels and
strengthen joint promotion and marketing
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 Deliver training at the secondary, vocational and
tertiary levels and on-site specialized institutions.

The JI – Accelerating Implementation

In seeking solutions and
actions oriented to
accelerate the process,
President Jagdeo
recommended that each
Minister of Agriculture
take responsibility for a
Constraint. The Ministers
will be supported by the
CORE Group of Agencies
responsible for process.
Constraint Lead Minister
1. Limited financing and Inadequate New Investments Barbados
2. Outdated & Inefficient AHFS Trinidad/Tobago
3. Inadequate R&D Guyana
4. Fragmented & Uncoordinated Private Sector St. Vincent/Grenadines
5. Deficient & uncoordinated risk management measures Antigua/Barbuda
6. Inefficient land & water distribution & management systems St. Lucia
7. Inadequate transport St. Kitts and Nevis
8 & 9 Information/Marketing Network Jamaica
10. Lack of trained human resources Dominica