Project profile — Sustainable Agriculture in the Caribbean



Overview 

CA-3-P006153001
$19,787,814
WUSC - World University Service of Canada (CA-CRA_ACR-3119304848)
2020-04-20 - 2025-12-31
Operational
Global Affairs Canada
NGM Americas

Country / region 

• Guyana (26.00%)
• Suriname (10.00%)
• Saint Lucia (18.00%)
• Jamaica (34.00%)
• Dominica (12.00%)

Sector 

• Agricultural development:
Agricultural development (31120) (33.00%)
Agricultural extension (31166) (33.00%)
• General Environmental Protection: Environmental education/training (41081) (34.00%)

Policy marker 

• Gender equality (significant objective)
• Environmental sustainability (cross-cutting) (significant objective)
• Participatory development and good governance (not targeted)
• Trade development (not targeted)
• Biodiversity (not targeted)
• Climate change mitigation (not targeted)
• Climate Change Adaptation (significant objective)
• Urban issues (not targeted)
• Desertification (not targeted)
• Children's issues (not targeted)
• Youth Issues (not targeted)
• Indigenous Issues (not targeted)
• Disability (not targeted)
• ICT as a tool for development (not targeted)
• Nutrition (not targeted)
• Disaster Risk Reduction(DRR) (not targeted)

Description 

This project works to increase the economic prosperity of women and youth in more sustainable agricultural markets. The project also works to promote women’s leadership and decision-making in the agriculture sector. Climate change and climate-induced natural disasters present a major risk to crop production in the Caribbean, where agriculture is an important source of employment for rural communities. The project targets five low to middle-income Caribbean countries, Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, and Suriname, with the greatest potential for climate smart economic growth. Project activities include: (1) engaging multiple stakeholders, including established country partners, to create links between key market actors; (2) providing training, information sharing, and outreach to women and youth to strengthen their capacity; (3) coordinating gender sensitive social outreach and engagement campaigns targeting market actors, to address barriers and enhance access to inclusive, sustainable and climate resilient agricultural market systems; and (4) fostering climate resilient approaches (re-orienting agricultural development for sustainability), at every stage and via every market actor in the agricultural value chain. The project expects to benefit up to 48,000 people, including 12,000 farmers (of which 75% are women or youth) and their families. The project also aims to reach 340,000 people through the project’s communications efforts.

Expected results 

The expected outcomes for this project include: (1) increased equitable participation of women and youth in the agricultural sector; and (2) improved agricultural productivity of producers and entrepreneurs, in particular women and youth, in inclusive, sustainable and climate resilient agricultural market systems.

Results achieved 

Results achieved as of March 2024 include: (1) reached 12,736 people across the Caribbean counties of Dominica, Guyana, Jamaica, Saint Lucia and Suriname. This is done through a mix interventions geared towards building ‘agency’ and improving ‘access’ to the resources needed to improve production gains; (2) identified and supported 20 market opportunities identified by project beneficiaries across the 5 target countries; (3) trained 112 market system organisations and equipped them to deliver new production opportunities to project beneficiaries; (4) trained 495 women and youth in leadership, 1500 women and youth in entrepreneurship, and 1073 women and youth in business management; (5) delivered role modeling and mentorship programs to 463 women and youth ; (6) trained 4,073 women, youth and men on best practices for integrating climate-resilient agricultural production techniques; (7) delivered 21 innovative pilots that delivered equipment, input and supplies focusing on innovative climate-smart irrigation systems in Dominica, goat housing and improved fodder in Jamaica, improved micro-nutrient utilisation vegetable farming in Guyana and Suriname, and optimised water management in Saint Lucia; and (8) trained 436 extension service officers on methods in climate resilient agricultural techniques.

Budget and spending 


Original budget $0
Planned disbursement $4,292,603
Transactions
Transaction Date Type Value
22-05-2024 Disbursement $160,779
Country percentages by sector
Type of finance Aid grant excluding debt reorganisation
Collaboration type Bilateral
Type of aid Project-type interventions
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