Technical Assistance Meetings with Producer Groups in Dominica and St. Lucia

Following a first set of face-to-face meetings between the mentors and producer groups in Jamaica and Trinidad and Tobago, the CarIPI team organised a second set of field visits in Dominica and St. Lucia from 28 March to 1 April 2022.

During their visit to Dominica, the mentors visited the Kalinago Territory along with a team from the Dominica Export Import Agency (DEXIA). The aim of the visit was to assess the readiness of the Kalinago Craft producers to move towards an IP solution for the Kalinago Craft vendors to increase the appeal and cache of the Craft. This could lead to a significant increase in prices over 24 to 36 months.

The meetings in St. Lucia gave the mentors a history of the Sea Moss industry and an overview of what the Ministry of Agriculture is doing to enhance this sector further. Extensive conversations were held with Sea Moss farmers. Information was collected on Sea Moss farming practices, traditional knowledge, and ways to clearly differentiate St. Lucia Sea Moss from that originating in different parts of the world.

These technical assistance meetings are part of the mentorship programme that has been set up to improve the competitiveness of unique agricultural and non-agricultural products produced in the CARIFORUM region.