BEST PRACTICES IN CARIBBEAN AGRIBUSINESS CLUSTER

DEVELOPMENT

Robert A. ReidInternational Agribusiness Specialist

Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

1st Regional Forum on Cluster Development in the Caribbean“Opportunities for Competitiveness and Growth”

 9th November 2011

Hyatt Regency Port of Spain, Trinidad.

CONTENT OF PRESENTATIONCONTENT OF PRESENTATION

IICA\Agribusiness and Commercialization Programme

Relative Competitiveness of Caribbean Agribusiness

Agribusiness Clusters Initiatives in the Caribbean

Lessons \Best Practices-Caribbean Agribusiness Cluster Development.

Summary and Conclusion

IICA\Agribusiness & Commercialization

Programme

Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA)

☼ IICA is the specialized agency of the Inter-American System (OAS), mandate to provide innovative technical cooperation to 34 Member States in support of agricultural and rural development, with a view to achieving sustainable development in aid of the peoples of the Américas.

Central RegionCentral Region

Andean RegionAndean Region

Northern Region Northern Region

Southern RegionSouthern Region

Caribbean RegionCaribbean Region

More Competitive Agro food ChainsMore Competitive Agro food Chains

IICA’s basis approach to Agro IICA’s basis approach to Agro Food Chain developmentFood Chain development

IICA sets priorities with regard to agro-food chain development based on the priorities of individual member countries

Generate policy frameworks; methodologies for chain/cluster analysis

Organize players in agro-food chains/clusters and support their efforts (process of dialogue and

consensus, capacity and policy building).

IICA– Agribusiness & Commercialization Programme(PAC) Based in IICA’s Office in Miami, USA

Focused is on Competitive Agribusiness Development

8 International Specialist (based throughout the Hemisphere)

Over 25 validated Technical Tools, Methodologies,

Courses: e.g

Facilitating domestic/export market access (platforms)

Develop and strengthen chain organizations (producer groups)

Strengthening agribusiness management (value chain/cluster

dev)

Methodology: Chains and dialogue for action platforms(CADIAC)

Methodology: Analyzing international competitiveness (CADIAC)

Course: management of local agro-productions chains

Course: Train-the-trainers in HACCP and food safety

management

Distance learning course: Design of agro-ecotourism projects

Manage and support Hemispheric, Regional, Country-level projects (Competitive Agribusiness Development)

Collaborate at National, Regional and International levels with Public and Private Agribusiness, Donor Agencies and Development Partners.

Relative Competitiveness of Caribbean Economies & Agriculture/Agribusiness Sector

Relative Competitiveness of Selected Caribbean Economies

Source : Global Competitiveness Report 2010 – 2011, UNDEP

Competitiveness of Caribbean Economies

BASED ON GLOBAL MEASUREMENT OF

COMPETITIVENESS, THE ECONOMIES OF

THE LARGER CARCOM COUNTRIES ARE

DEEMED AS ‘IN TRANSITION’, AND

RELATIVELY UNCOMPETITIVE

CARICOM Agriculture/Agribusiness Sector – Competitiveness Factors

Increasing preference for imported value added food productsUncompetitive nature of local products Serious lack of product/market intelligenceConcentrated chain powerPoor food chain coordination and governance Inefficient support systemsR&D and financial constraintsGovernment policies excessively burdensome

Agribusiness Clusters Initiatives in the Caribbean Region

THE CARIBBEAN SCENARIO RECENT FOOD CLUSTER INITIATIVES (REGIONAL)

Caribbean Trade & Private Sector Development (CTPSD) €1.5 M 2008--‐2011: Overall objective is to support integration ofCARIFORUM countries into the world Economy.7 clusters, including:

Agro Products Business Support Organizations Food and Beverage

THE CARIBBEAN SCENARIO RECENT FOOD CLUSTER INITIATIVES (NATIONAL)

The Jamaica Cluster Competitiveness Project (JCCP) 2002‑08 designed to increase international competitiveness of selected Jamaican enterprises. Phase I of the project (2002‑2005/06) served to identify/create fresh markets, distribution channels and partnerships

Guyana Trade and Investment Support (GTIS) $7.4 million 2004--‑2013 (Phase2): Market- led approach to expansion of non--‑traditional exports.Focus is on facilitatingBusiness relationships thatResult in new deals. Aqua--‑culture Fresh produce Timber Tourism (birding)

JamaicaMillion Private Sector Development Project(PSDP):€28.67The primary purpose of the Programme was to enhance the competitiveness of MSMEs and strengthen their support institutions. Eggs Small ruminants Fish Gifts & crafts

Best practical example of the application of AGRIBUSINESS cluster development methodology in the Caribbean

THE CARIBBEAN RUM INDUSTRY►Rum production started in 17th Century►Factories linked to sugar farmers within geographic zones►Significant investment in R&D, product development ►Each island has branded/differentiated products for various market segments

Best practical example of the application of AGRIBUSINESS cluster development methodology in the Caribbean

THE CARIBBEAN RUM INDUSTRY

►50, 000 persons across the region employed, 6,000 in VA (WIRSPA 2009)►Linkages to both agriculture and tourism sectors - visits to rum facilities increased by 140% since 2003 (WIRSPA 2009)►Main agro-industrial export -Region's 4th largest non-service FX earner►Preferential access to EU, Canada and US►Taxes paid to regional governments increased > 40% since 2003

THE CARIBBEAN RUM INDUSTRY ►National and Regional Platforms for Dialogue and Action►Strong regional private sector representation/lobby-(WIRSPA) with governments and international donor agencies

►2002-EU$70 million Integrated Development Programme for the Caribbean Rum Sector to:-

upgrade and modernize rum production, improve waste management & environmental protection; human resource development; the marketing and distribution of value-added products; Creation of the Authentic Caribbean Rum Marque (trade mark)Strengthening/deepening the AssociationProgramme executed by the private sector (WIRSPA)

THE CARIBBEAN RUM INDUSTRY

Fulfils all conditions based on Porter’s Diamond Model

► Demand Conditions ► Firm Strategies, Structure, and Rivalry► Related and Supporting Industries► Factor Conditions► Government support

Lessons Learnt/Best Practices

Agribusiness Clusters in the Caribbean Region

1. Stop underestimating the value of Agribusiness in the Caribbean region - has

negative consequences:

Sector’s true contribution to national development not recognized, which translates into less political support for agribusiness

Little funding for agricultural research and the training and education of the sector’s professionals and producers.

Limited financing of rural infrastructure and little investment in the sector.

Agribusiness within the Global Context

Agribusiness* contributes to 50% of the global economy (Morrison School of Agribusiness and Resource Management )

* Application of business in economics, management, finance, and marketing to issues involved in the production, distribution and marketing of food and fiber.

Agribusiness is a generator of value addition – 53 cents of every dollar produced in agriculture is value added.

* (Study carried out by IICA-Interagency Group on Rural Development (USAID, IDB, ECLAC, IFAD, GTZ, World Bank); 2003

Agriculture’s True ContributionAgriculture’s True Contribution

Expanded agriculture (i.e. agribusiness), which includes the sector’s forward linkages (processing, agro industry) and backward linkages (inputs and services), contributes 3-7 times more to the economy than primary agriculture (crops and livestock), which is what official statistics usually reflect.

Human Resources Development Divisionto the Service of the Technical Cooperation

CountryCountry AGDP/ GDPAGDP/ GDP GDP Expanded GDP Expanded Agriculture / GDPAgriculture / GDP

Argentina 4.6 % 32.2%

Brazil 4.3% 26.2%

Chile 5.6% 32.1%

Mexico 4.6% 24.5%

United States of America

0.7% 8.1%

Venezuela 4.0% 20.5%

Costa Rica 11.3% 32.5%

* (Study carried out by IICA-Interagency Group on Rural Development (USAID, IDB, ECLAC, IFAD, GTZ, World Bank)

2003

2. Fragmented and disorganized private Agribusiness sector (1.36 M farmers)

The single biggest challenge to implementing the Cluster approach in the Caribbean region.

3. Proper, targeted articulation of the Cluster approach as a means of improving comparative

advantage and competitiveness

4. Horizontal Cooperation between industry sectors and countries to reinforce articulation and actor’s internalizing of cluster concept

5. Business development services and finance/ investment services are key inputs to be developed.

6. Develop a cadre of highly skilled technical/ business support personnel - Cluster and Value Chain Facilitators – critical.

7. Detailed assessment of Cluster Actors – their capacities, business and

other relationships, relative levels of

competitiveness (benchmarking) etc – Cluster Mapping

8. Establishment of Focus groups and Dialogue Platforms of Actors to examine cluster assessment, define industry/ product bench marks,

visions, objectives/target, monitoring, communication mechanisms etc

9. Identification of anchor firms has proven to be an effective platform from which to

strengthen the cluster(value chain).

10.The need to make investments along the Value Chain relating to

infrastructure and training (clearly link to new

differentiated products)

11. Sector Plans to support sustainability of value chains and clusters should be developed from the onset

12.Need for participating actors to have entrenched competitive and collaborative mindsets

and long-term commitment. Many times participating firms tend to

be suspicious that any promising business opportunities would be appropriated by either

competitors or by government institutions

13.Due to complicated operating environments, with an enormous

number of stakeholders to be consulted, never

underestimate the time required to build consensus amongst

agribusiness firms and other actors

SUMMARY & CONCLUSIONWithin a relatively uncompetitive economic and sector environment, clustering initiatives continue to be made within the Caribbean agribusiness sector, a sector which have tremendous potential for value addition, linkages, multiplier effects, and economic gains.

From these initiatives, several lessons have been identified, and if applied, can in the long- term make the cluster approach extremely useful in the development of competitive agribusiness sector in the Caribbean region.

BEST PRACTICES IN CARIBBEAN AGRIBUSINESS CLUSTER

DEVELOPMENT

Robert A. ReidInternational Agribusiness Specialist

Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture

1st Regional Forum on Cluster Development in the Caribbean“Opportunities for Competitiveness and Growth”

 9th November 2011

Hyatt Regency Port of Spain, Trinidad.