AGRI-FOOD SECTOR DEVELOPMENT AND STRENGTHENING OF THE NATIONAL FOOD SAFETY SYSTEM IN GRENADA
A EUR 284,615 project to strengthen market access and export of Grenadian fresh produce.
The Agri-Food Sector Development and Strengthening of the National Food Safety System in Grenada Project is focused on increasing the quality of Grenada’s fresh produce through capacity building and the provision of equipment to reduce food waste along the value chain. Over two years, stakeholders will be certified in HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Point) and trained in post-harvest handling techniques while the Marketing & National Importing Board (MNIB) will be provided with three refrigerated trucks.
This project, financed by the European Union and managed by the Caribbean Development Bank, will aid in the collection and distribution of fresh produce by MNIB to packhouse facilities for pre-export and local retail, train trainers at GDBS, MNIB, Ministry of Agriculture to strengthen productive capacity and quality in the agri-food sector, reduce losses and increase revenue in the fresh produce segment of the economy. The Project will also help to strengthen Grenada’s compliance with World Trade Organization (WTO) obligations on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures for food safety and also aid in satisfying obligations under the WTO-Technical Barriers to Trade Agreement pertaining to adherence to technical requirements and conformity assessment procedures.
The Grenada Bureau of Standards (GDBS) will be executing the project on behalf of the MNIB. The GBDS oversees the licensing of fresh produce exporters and inspection and certification of the storage facilities, grading and packing of fresh produce in accordance with approved standards. It also develops national standards and encourages standardization in trade, and advances training to help improve quality including the MNIB, this project’s beneficiary. The MNIB is responsible for the purchase, sale and export of fresh produce offering processing, handling, storage, export, shipping, and marketing services to agricultural cooperatives. The agency enters into contracts with agro-producers for transportation, supply and sales and also establishes and operates depots, agencies and cold storage facilities to buy, deliver, grade and sell all produce. Both agencies form part of the state architecture to support national objectives to impact sustainable development and grow exports with focus on increasing exports in agriculture and fisheries targeting fresh produce.
In addition, the organizations also work to ensure the institutionalization of robust food safety management systems, building capacity and appropriately resourcing regulatory agencies to enable sustained market access for food products and the development of Grenada’s national quality infrastructure.
Project Benefits
Throughout implementation project stakeholders listed will be continuously engaged namely:
Grenada Bureau of Standards
Ministry of Agriculture, Lands & Forestry
Grenada Chamber of Industry and Commerce
Grenada Organization for Consumer Affairs
EPA and CSME Standby Facility
The project was approved for implementation by the EPA and CSME Standby Facility Steering Committee in 2021. The EPA and CSME Standby Facility (also known as the CARIFORUM-European Union (EU) Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA) CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME) Standby Facility for Capacity Building) is a EUR 8.75 million programme financed by the European Development Fund (EDF) being managed by CDB to support projects in Antigua and Barbuda, The Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, the Commonwealth of Dominica, the Dominican Republic, Grenada, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, Saint Lucia, St Vincent and the Grenadines, St Kitts and Nevis, Suriname, and Trinidad and Tobago (CARIFORUM). It is intended to build capacity in the region and better position businesses to trade within CARIFORUM and the European Union.
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