IICA ECS News. Inside This Issue. Editorial: The Real Secret of Success. March = 0 VOLUME 1/2010. Una May Gordon

Transcription

1 VOLUME 1/2010 IICA ECS News March 2010 Editorial: The Real Secret of Success Sometime ago, I visited Dominica to lend support to the Office in handing over and opening the little agribusiness that we had invested substantial technical and financial resources in. We were late and speeding through the hills of Dominica. We had invited two Ministers of Government to the Opening. The Minister of Agriculture and the Minister of Tourism. Nelly s Chips - we were on our way I thought wildy, but as we rounded one of the many bends that characterize Dominica s roads, there was a truck, struggling with its load to make up the hill. This is not good I said to no one in particular, even though we were four in the vehicle. There was silence, we all knew we were late! As I glanced at my watch for the 100th time I stared blankly at the back of the truck and this is the sign that stared back at me: 0 0 = 0 I smiled, absolutely correct I said again to no one in particular. As a math student my teacher always drilled in me Maths is logic. So as I reflected on the logic in the Math at the back of that struggling truck, I sat back, relaxed and reassessed our position. We could come out of this as a late but successful team, I argued loudly with myself, and then once again I reflected and internalized Alex Noble s famous lines Success is not a place at which one arrives but rather the spirit with which one undertakes and continues the journey. So as I continued the journey behind the struggling truck for a few miles I played with the logic of = 0 0/0 = = 0 0 x 0 = X 0 = 0 All sound logic and all correct. My fundamental lesson from the logic on the back of that struggling truck was: Self trust is the 1 st Secret of Succss. If I continue to understand and apply that then I will always get a. Una May Gordon IICA Representative in the ECS Inside This Issue 1. Editorial 2. IICAGrenada assists CABA to Implement a Project 3. IICA Saint Lucia Celebrates International Women s Day 4. IICA St Vincent and the Grenadines re-energizes the St Vincent and the Grenadines Agricultural Forum for Youth (SVGAFY) 5. Upcoming Events April June IICA ECS Team Congratulates the new Director General

2 PAGE 2 IICA ECS NEWS IICA Grenada assists Caribbean Agri-Business Association (CABA) Grenada to Implement a Project The Grenada Chapter of the Caribbean Agri Business Association (CABA) is alive and well. In February 2010, it commenced implementation of a project titled Developing the Capability of CABA Members to Collect, Reuse and Recycle Organic Waste. The project, prepared through technical support from the local IICA Office, is being implemented with assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture (MoA). It is funded, to the tune of CDN$18, (EC$45,016.94), by the Canada Fund for Local Initiative (CFLI). The first project activity to be implemented was a 2-day Composting workshop which was held on February 24 th and 25 th. Since then, necessary equipment, tools and materials have been purchased; compost bins as well as compost packaging sheds have been constructed; and the composting process has begun. Participants were drawn from the membership of CABA and from the Extension Division of the MoA. Some of the topics covered during the classroom session were: Fertilizers (artificial and natural) and their differences; Materials recommended for making compost manure; The significance of nitrogen, microorganisms, temperature, air, moisture, and ph in determining the rate of decomposition of materials in the compost heap; and the quality of the compost produced; The recommended structure of the compost heap; and The characteristics and benefits of good compost manure. Two active composting sites and a farm which utilizes compost manure were visited during the final day of the workshop. There, participants were able to observe first-hand and comment on the composting operations and the use of the compost manure. Mr. Kelvin Dottin conducts Workshop on Composting The Composting Workshop, facilitated by a technician (with relevant experience) from the MoA, included one day each of classroom and field activities. It was very interactive, and was attended by seventeen persons, including twelve women. Workshop participants make on-site visits where composting is applied Members of CABA are very excited about the prospects of being able to produce, use and market quality compost manure.

3 IICA ECS NEWS PAGE 3 IICA Saint Lucia Celebrates International Women s Day Excerpts of the day s Symposium On March 11, The IICA Office in Saint Lucia in collaboration with the Division of Gender Relations hosted a one-day Symposium in commemoration of International Day of Women. The Symposium was held under the theme: Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities - Empower Yourself. Ninety-three women from throughout the length and breadth of Saint Lucia participated in the Symposium which took place at the Bay Gardens Hotel, Rodney Bay, Gros Islet. Ms Una May Gordon, IICA Representative in the ECS, opened the day s proceeding with brief remarks. This was followed by remarks from Hon. Tessa Mangal, Minister of Commerce, Industry and Consumer Affairs and Hon. Jeannine Compton, Parliamentarian, respectively. Also making remarks was Ms Charms Gaspard, the Director of Gender Relations. The Symposium took the form of two motivational coaching sessions which came from two of Saint Lucia s foremost motivational experts: Mrs Thecla Deterville, Managing Director Celestial Self Development Centre, presented on the topic Equal Rights, Equal Opportunities Empower Yourself, and Mrs Rose Aubertin, retired Family Life Practioner, presented on Women and Relationships. The activity delivered on a request to IICA, from the Government of Saint Lucia, to assist with the development of soft skills among the stakeholders in the agricultural community. The completed evaluation forms indicated that the women were very appreciative for this Symposium which provided them with techniques for dealing with every day situations and by extension their businesses.

4 PAGE 4 IICA ECS NEWS IICA St Vincent and the Grenadines re-energizes the St Vincent and the Grenadines Agricultural Forum for Youth (SVGAFY) St. Vincent and the Grenadines Agricultural Forum for Youth (SVGAFY) has been re-energized. This was clearly demonstrated by the enthusiasm displayed by members at gatherings of the executive membership and the number of activities that has engaged the attention of the members during the first quarter of Invitees at the Opening Ceremony of CAFY s Executive Meeting January 21 st and 22 nd the SVGAFY hosted the Executive Members of the Caribbean Agricultural Forum for Youth (CAFY). The occasion was CAFY s Executive Meeting which included representatives from seven countries: Antigua, Bahamas, Dominica, Grenada, Guyana, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines. St. Vincent and the Grenadines currently holds the presidency of CAFY. This very important executive meeting was preceded by an impressive opening ceremony with representatives from youth organizations in St Vincent. Addresses were delivered by the Ministers of Agriculture and Youth Affairs. IICA ECS Representative, Ms Una May Gordon, also delivered an address. The meeting s agenda focused on a number of important areas of operations, including: a review of the 2008/2009 work programme; a review of the constitution of the organization; a review of the country reports; and the development of a work programme for 2010/2011. Day two was spent in the field in the North-Eastern communities of St Vincent exploring arrowroot production, and processing and micro propagation of banana at the Orange Hill Laboratory facilities. A final stop was made at the Windblow Project of SVGAFY where the youths are engaged in a soil conservation exercise through the planting of grass barriers. Also, in March, the SVGAFY received donations of agricultural equipment and tools from the Agricultural Input Warehouse and Cobano Ltd. valued at EC$1, These items were donated to three educational institutions: two secondary schools and the St. Vincent Technical College, to aid the agricultural science programme in these institutions. Finally, in line with the goal of enhancing internal membership capacity, on March 20 members of SVGAFY, together with other young leaders, took part in an IICA-sponsored workshop titled Project Proposal Writing. An important output from this activity was the development of the framework for two project proposals which would be put forward for funding from international Vice President of SVGAFY making presentation to the Principal of the St. Vincent Technical College sources. These projects are in the areas of capacity development, and procurement of equipment to enhance the agricultural science programme for three educational institutions which the group has adopted.

5 IICA ECS NEWS PAGE 5 Upcoming Events April June 2010 Visit of farmers to Costa Rica and El Salvador as part of the IICA/BIT EU Project Banana Commercialization Agricultural Diversification Project, April Visit of IICA Representative in the ECS to Grenada to facilitate a Leadership Workshop for members of the Executives of the Grenada Agricultural Forum for Youth (GAFY), GRENROP and CABA. IICA s Accountability Seminars: Grenada - April 13, St Vincent and the Grenadines - April 22, Dominica May 10, Saint Lucia - May 25. IICA ECS Team Congratulates the new Director General Ms Una May Gordon, IICA Representative in the Eastern Caribbean States (ECS) is pleased, on behalf of the staff of Team ECS, to congratulate Dr Víctor M. Villalobos on his swearing in to Office as the IICA Director General, for the period The ECS Team wishes Dr Villalobos every success during his term of office and looks forward to working with him as he articulates his vision for staff and the development of agriculture and rural sectors in the IICA Member States. Editorial Team Una May Gordon, Editor-in-Chief Merril Philbert-St John, Editor Deborah Biscombe, Design and Layout Office in Saint Lucia iica.lc@iica.int