Post on 19-Dec-2015
An overview of agricultural information services in the
Caribbean
Presented by:Kathryn Duncan
Information & Communications SpecialistIICA Office in Trinidad and Tobago
The Caribbean Region
Antigua & BarbudaThe BahamasBarbadosDominicaThe Dominican RepublicGrenadaGuyana
HaitiJamaicaSt. Kitts & NevisSaint LuciaSt. Vincent & the GreandinesSurinameTrinidad & Tobago
CARICOM (Caribbean Common Market) and IICA
Member States
Agriculture in the CaribbeanAgriculture had fallen in stature as a mainstay of the
economy and way of life however, with the effects of globalization, agriculture is once again being seen as a key contributor to or a source of: Food securityExport earningsPoverty alleviationSustainable development
Regional studies on agricultural information needs
Needs assessment of agricultural information needs in the Caribbean. CTA/CARDI. 2005.Available on www.anancy.net
Inventory and assessment of agricultural information systems in the Caribbean region. IICA. 2007 Introduces the rationale and framework for an M&E system
that will try to pull all types of information together in a common framework to provide a more holistic analysis of the “situation in agriculture” in the Caribbean.
Inventory of information sources and resources by country.
General Statement
Inspite of several national and regional efforts, current information and intelligence systems in agriculture are weak, incomplete, non-integrated, with poor linkages between their various components. ‘Information’ one of the major binding constraints in the
Jagdeo Initiative; MoAs still have underdeveloped capacity for building
and managing information systems; Regional organisations still experience difficulties in
sustaining regional information systems.
Issues and ChallengesNon-existent or weak information policiesFailure to sustain regional information networksCoordination and reactivation of national networks has varying
success:Dom. Rep; Guyana; Jamaica; Suriname; Trinidad and
TobagoGaps in information Lack of qualified professionals in information unitsUnderstaffed “one-person” unitsSome limitations on ICT infrastructureThere is still a lack of understanding and appreciation of
‘what’ and ‘why’ information is needed
General Statement
Actors in the agri-food chain engage in a continuous search for information. That information must be credible, timely and must add value to the knowledge, experience and sometimes ‘gut feelings’ of policy makers, entrepreneurs, input and service suppliers and other actors in the chain.
Agricultural information needs as defined by sector1
Science of agriculture and food production Trade market information & market intelligenceBusiness finance & risk managementSocio-economic informationEnvironment impact and intensive natural resource
useAudience targeted information – conferences,
training, trade fairs, etc.
1 Inventory and Assessment of Agricultural Information Systems in the Caribbean Region - 2007
The UsersPolicy makersResearchersExtension personnelInformation professionalsProducersConsumersThe Media
The Providers Ministries of AgricultureNational Libraries/Documentation CentresResearch OrganizationsAcademic InstitutionsAgricultural agencies (international, regional and
national)Networks, Industry Associations, Farmer OrganizationsThe Media
Ministries of Agriculture Information Units, Communications and PR
Departments, Extension & Training Divisions, Planning Division
Typically - traditional library, or ‘documentation centre’ Strong in collection of information, generation of information products, history of service, personnel and ICT equipment.
Capacity for training and audio-visual documentation and presentation of information.
Ministries of Agriculture Other smaller libraries may also exist in specialised
organisations: research stations; commodity specific research and extension organisations such as sugar, coffee and cocoa; banana; dairy; cattle or small ruminants.
Generally, these units have operated under human and financial resource limitations.
Qualified staff, if present, are generally persons with information and library science background.
Repackaging of information to meet the specific needs of the various consumers of agricultural information is done outside of this system.
Academic Libraries
Well-established university libraries -Barbados, Dominican Republic, Guyana, Jamaica,
Suriname, Trinidad and TobagoResearchers, students, other libraries
Loans, inter-library loans, document delivery services, OPAC, library instruction, research consultations, reference services, reprographic services, etc. online databases, websites, public education
Regional/International Agencies Strong presence of regional and international agriculture
organizations in most Member States, e.g.Caribbean Agricultural Research & Development Institute
(CARDI)Food & Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)
Researchers, consultants; students; farmers; other organizations; general public
Access to a wealth of information sources and resources – local, regional and international
Training and technical cooperation activities
Market Information SystemsGrenada: Marketing and National Importing Board (MNIB)Jamaica: Agri-Business Information System (ABIS)Trinidad and Tobago: National Agricultural Marketing
Information System (NAMIS)Participate in the Marketing Information Organization of the
Americas (MIOA)The National Agricultural Marketing and Development
Corporation (NAMDEVCO – NAMIS) is the current Chair of the MIOA
www.namistt.com
www.abisjamaica.com.jm
www.radajamaica.com.jm
Directory of SourcesDirectory of Caribbean Agricultural Information
Sources. 2009Association of Caribbean University, Research and
Institutional LibrariesCoverage: English, French, Spanish and Dutch-
speaking CaribbeanScope: Local offices of international and regional
organizations; Ministries of Agriculture; Chambers of Commerce; Development Banks; Foundations; Farmers Associations; Rural NGOs, Libraries and Documentation Centres; Statistical Offices
Limited print run – available on UWI website in November 2009
The MediaPlays a key role as an information provider
TV, radio and newspapers – first and only point of information for many agri producers and general consumers
Media-Agriculture sector relationship varies from country to countryMost report an increased coverage of agriculture
stories by the media from issues/challenges to Government projects and agribusiness success stories
Efforts to strengthen this relationship:Workshops – Grenada, Trinidad & Tobago, Brussels…
ICTsInfrastructure
Generally very good access in MoAs, most institutions, homes and Internet cafes. Some countries still have problems of access – e.g. in rural areas.
Usage Internet, TV, Radio widely used for disseminating and
accessing information and news.Heavy use of cell phones – formal and informal information
networksContent generation
Websites – present – but not always current Web 2.0 tools increasing in popularity and use for
developmental, professional and personal use (formal and informal) LinkedIn, Ning, Facebook, Blogger
SIDALC in the Caribbean?10 years behind?
Need to fit the pieces of the puzzle together!
SIDALC in the Caribbean?Dominican Republic
Red de Documentación e Información Agropecuaria y Forestal-REDIAF 2000
Jamaica Agricultural Documentation and Information Network
(JADIN) - 1999Trinidad & Tobago
Agricultural Library and Information Network of Trinidad and Tobago (ALINTT) – 2009 revitalisation
SIDALC in the Caribbean? Need to revisit the creation/reactivation of national networks – no matter
how small; Increase communication and interaction among national networks
Share experiences Build capacities
Increase collaboration to address problems of scarce resources Forge linkages with other stakeholders and the media to have access to
a wider range of information that exists Forge partnerships with some of our ‘traditional users’ who are now
sources of information themselves Need to be more innovative and creative as to how we gather, create
and store information and how we disseminate this to users – beAring in mind the technogogies now widely available and accessible.
THANK YOU.