Suriname Readies for CWA 2014

PARAMARIBO, Suriname, Sept. 15, 2014, CNS – In less than a month, Suriname will host policymakers, experts and institutional actors from the Caribbean as they discuss strategic issues regarding the future of agriculture in the Caribbean.

The Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries is organising the 13th Caribbean Week of Agriculture 2014 – CWA, from 6 – 12 October 2014, in collaboration with the CARICOM Secretariat.

In addition to the ministerial meetings, seminars and workshops, field visits will be conducted to agricultural, fisheries-, aquaculture- and livestock businesses as well as the first Suriname Agro Food Event – SAFE, comprising of an exhibition and a trade fair.

SAFE is organised by the Ministry of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries in collaboration with the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

This year’s theme for CWA is `Transforming Caribbean Agriculture through Family Farming’

“Family farming is the backbone of our food production” Soeresh Algoe, Minister of Agriculture, Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, adding: “fostering, uplifting and transforming this institute of family farming should be our main goal when we are thinking about ensuring national and Regional food security, and promoting a healthy lifestyle.

“Transforming the institute of family farming will strengthen our production and export base of agricultural produce and therefore contribute to sustainable socio-economic growth of our countries and CARICOM as a whole,” he said

The minister said “this CWA 2014 will be remembered as an event that contributed in transforming Caribbean agriculture through family farming and changed the way we think about agriculture” and the production of our food.

CWA 2013 was hosted by Guyana while Antigua and Barbuda hosted the 2012 event.

CNS/ml/2014