d.r.a.f. - mesa 3 - jethro greene

Caribbean Farmers Network [email protected]

Sustainable intensification of Production and Marketing as it relates to

family farming within the Caribbean; a CaFAN position

Jethro T. Greene, Chief Coordinator, Caribbean Farmers Network (CaFAN


CaFAN Background• Comprises over 500,000 members from 13 Caribbean

countries• CaFAN operates a system of farmers clusters/groups

and organisations with a focal point in each country. • The mission of CaFAN is to “enhance Caribbean food

and nutrition security, foreign exchange earnings and foreign savings by repositioning agriculture through the capacity building of farmers and the institutional strengthening of farmers organizations”.

• CaFAN representation in the Caribbean is far reaching as there are currently over a million farm families in 15 different countries that we are trying impact.


CaFAN’s focus on Agriculture is beyond just food security. CaFAN believes that Agriculture should be (empowering farm families) linked to providing solutions to the various other challenges including, unemployment, high national debts, foreign resource earning and overall economic growth and social growth and stability.

CaFAN’s focus on Holistic Agriculture


Why the focus on Small Farm Families?

• Small farm families represent a key platform for social and economic stability making them viable businesses that will help to promote increased employment, curtailing rural urban migration, reduce poverty and creating greater food and nutrition security.

• CaFAN sat on two of CARICOM committees to help draft regional policies; Regional Food and Nutrition Policy (RFNP) and the Community Agricultural Policy (CAP). The 4th pillar of CAP is Youth and Rural Modernization in which CaFAN advocated for modern amenities and infrastructure in rural communities.

• For them to gain economies of scale and compete in the global environment.

• Large farmers will always have better access to financing and technical support


Throughout the Caribbean, due to the topography, the climatic conditions, the farms (production areas) are located in the interior of the various countries, on mountains, in some areas on the coast, on flat lands and below sea level. The farmers may or may not reside on these holdings. The ownership of these lands may be through family members or acquired through lease, crown lands, government lands and/or squat lands (use of state lands without permission). The farm labour is primarily family oriented, including extended family labour and the collaboration of labour exchange programs (shared labour or clustered labour). The average age of farmers in the Caribbean is about 55-60 years old, and in most cases the male deals with land preparation and the cultivation of the crops and animals, whereas his wife and children deals with farm care and marketing.

Family Farms in the Caribbean


CaFAN approach is to promote the farming sector as a viable and successful business. Our Farm Family strategy is the key to eradicate hunger and alleviate poverty by involving the entire family. For example, the Husband might be involved in production, the wife in marketing and we are working at getting the children involved in record keeping and research. This approach helps to create employment and help generate income within the family and promote the sustainability of the sector for generations to come. Since its inception, CaFAN has been working with regional and international partners to promote farming as a successful business. Farm families have been trained in areas of leadership, management, production and marketing, record keeping, ICT, value chains, etc. However, the main challenge recognised is that of marketing and access to markets.

Farming is a BUSINESS


The farmer-market linkages was supported by FAO through the AAACP and the GTFS projects by documenting business models and training members in value chain development and management. Several initiatives have also took place such as market visits to the UK where the opportunities are available for CaFAN members to market their produce. However, the challenges surrounding accessing these markets continues to be an issue with limiting finance available, such as getting members to be global and Euro gap certified. We are working with Global Gap North American Inc to provide technical assistance, training and capacity building. Other approaches used within CaFAN are the Cluster and Swap Labour or Labour sharing approach which highlights and demonstrate the positive relationship among farm families who work together to achieve the same objectives.

CaFAN Models


• One of the main issues surrounding the sector is marketing and access to markets.

• Other issues and challenges include, but not limited to:• No additional source of income in the event disaster• Competition from commercial farmers• Longer hours of work• In ability to produce large quantities of commodities.• Cost of inputs

Challenges of Family Farms


Conclusion• There needs to be consistent focus on small farmers and small holders. • Farmers organizations must continue to strengthen capacity as this is

essential for the advancement of agriculture. One of the greatest challenges is external policies that are imposed on us by government. We advocating for adequate participation in the policy making process so that farmers can be involved in the conversation and not merely left with the consequences.

• Greater budgetary contributions to agriculture are required for agriculture to prosper as the region.

• Greater allocation of resources must go towards strengthening ministries and farmers organizations for extensions. CARDI, FAO, IICA, CTA and tertiary educational institutions must also continue to provide the intellectual muscle required for the advancement of agriculture.

• Capacity of farmer’s organizations must be built with special focus on small farmers. Imagine the ramifications if 500,000 – 1 million small farming families fall deep into poverty. Think of effect this would have on the population.


Recommendations• Improve the quality of life for farm families within the network through

production and marketing; (there is need for links between crop and animal production –organic farming manure, opportunity for protein milk, eggs)

• Work with our partners and Governments to ensure a more enabling policy environment for the strengthening, retooling and capacity building and financing of activities geared towards addressing the needs of farm families;

• Work with our Universities and Tertiary Education Institutions involved in agriculture working to bring their institutions at the rural level through field training, internship and mentorship opportunities;

• Creation of a revolving or buffer fund to ensure farmers are paid within at least 7 days of selling their produce and thereby increasing farmers’ cash flow;

• Training of farmers to be Global GAP certified;• Training and support of farmers, especially the youth, in

entrepreneurship; agriculture risk management and mitigation; environmentally sound agriculture practices.


THANK YOU!Jethro Greene

Chief CoordinatorCaribbean Farmers Network (CaFAN)

Tel: 784 453 1004Fax: 784 453 1239

Email: [email protected]: www.caribbeanfarmers.org