D.R.A.F. - Mesa 3 - Jethro Greene

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

Caribbean Farmers Network
cafancaribbean@gmail.com

www.caribbeanfarmers.org

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 Holistic
Agriculture
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.



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



Family Farms in the Caribbean
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.



Farming is a BUSINESS
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.



CaFAN Models
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.



Challenges of Family Farms
• 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



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.



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Recommendations network through
Improve the quality of life for farm families within the
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 Coordinator
Caribbean Farmers Network (CaFAN)
Tel: 784 453 1004
Fax: 784 453 1239
Email: cafancaribbean@gmail.com
Website: www.caribbeanfarmers.org



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