CARICOM Today:-  The coconut industry is a major item on the agenda of the Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA) which will be held in Bridgetown, Barbados next month. The Region’s mega agriculture event will be held 8-12 October under the theme ‘Strengthening agriculture for a healthier future in the Region’.

Coconut is a super product and is referred to as the tree of life. All its parts can be used, and experts contend that it has more than a hundred functions. The Caribbean, to which entrepreneurs look for the raw material, is moving aggressively to position itself to take greater advantage of the multi-billion dollar coconut industry.

There have been developments in the industry recently, and participants in the week of activities in Barbados are to get an update on what has been happening.

There will be a technical session on coconuts as well as several workshops that will focus on coconuts and climate resilience, trade and investment in coconuts, and coconuts and small ruminants.

Executive Director of the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), Mr. Barton Clarke said that the Region was benefitting from a project that was being done with support from the International Trade Centre (ITC) of the United Nations, the European Union and the ACP Secretariat.

The project began in 2015 and concludes this year end. Under the project, studies have been conducted on markets and value chain analysis, pest management and the movement of plant material throughout the Region.

New direction in terms of the use of coconut waste is also gaining momentum and this will also be up for discussion during the week of activities.