Strategic alliance has been identified as a key critical component in the success of securing donor resources for the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute's (Cardi) current Medium Term Plan (MTP) 2011 to 2013 and research for development work. The donor resources have been identified as technical, human and financial.
The institute, in a release, said it had listed partnerships and collaborative initiatives, with key strategic relationships. The institute said the alliances were actively pursued to:
• Share technologies and human resources;
• Facilitate the exchange of germplasm;
• Treat with emerging issues including climate change and water resources management;
• Collaborate on outreach efforts.
The statement said in the thrust to develop and maintain relationships in the last four years, several activities were pursued under 11 primary Memoranda of Associations with key institutions and partners. Among them were:
• Technical and Human Resource
The Chinese Academy of Agricultural Scientists (CAAS)-Technical expertise provided through a seminar on the Development of Protected Horticultural Technology in China and Greenhouse Design to stakeholders hosted in T&T.
• Florida Association for Volunteer Action in the Caribbean and Americas (FAVACA)
This two-year Cardi/FAVACA programme, titled Food Security and Competitiveness in the Eastern Caribbean funded by the USA, saw the provision of 15 volunteers to augment the human resource competence of the Institute.
• Natural Resources Institute (NRI)
The Natural Resources Institute of the University of Greenwich, UK is partnering with Cardi and other institutions from Africa and the Pacific to execute the project, funded by the African, Caribbean and Pacific Group of States (ACP) Science and Technology Programme, titled Science and Technology for Enhancing the Contribution of Tropical Root Crops to Development in ACP countries.
