Ladies and gentlemen, following the passage of Hurricanes Ivan and Emily in 2004 and 2005, respectively, the European Union as part of the E.U. funded All ACP Agriculture Commodities Programme, in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture, Grenada Cooperative Nutmeg Association (G.C.N.A.), the International Trade Centre (I.T.C.) in Geneva, Switzerland, and other sector stakeholders, have undertaken the development of a Comprehensive Strategy for the Nutmeg Sector.
The Nutmeg Sector Strategy was done using a market-led participatory stakeholder approach focusing on domestic, regional and international market opportunities.
The main purpose of the strategy document is to guide and support the development of the Nutmeg Industry by providing a framework and a plan and by articulating Value Chain actors, private sector, existing resources, development activities and donor support.
The emphasis would be on revitalizing the Nutmeg Sector through the Value-Chain Approach thus targeting farmers, private sector enterprises, processors, buyers, policymakers and support institutions.
Overall, the Grenada Nutmeg Sector Development Strategy is intended to be the blue print for the development and improved competitiveness of the Nutmeg and Mace Sector in Grenada and was presented and approved by the Cabinet on July 2010.
As a result the Strategy espoused the vision for the development of Grenada’s NUTMEG and MACE Sector as:
A world leading Industry by 2015 recognized for its top quality Nutmeg, Mace and value added products contributing to the sustainable livelihood of the People of Grenada.
When the National Democratic Congress Party formed the Government in 2008, we committed ourselves to rebuilding a modern and competitive agricultural sector with the aim of improving the livelihoods of rural people, improving the overall food security of the country and transforming our national economy.
What are some of the facts, especially in the nutmeg industry, that convinced us about our plans and programmes and that was the right path to take?
i) Before the Hurricanes, the number of registered nutmeg farmers was 6,579 and as many as 30,720 persons (approximately one third of the population) were affected directly or indirectly by the Nutmeg Sector. With damage to 90% of the country’s nutmeg trees, the number of active farmers declined to approximately 2,500 persons.
ii) Also, revenues from nutmegs and mace fell from approximately EC$60 million in 2000 to about EC$3 million in 2007. This left many of our rural people devastated and our rural economy totally depressed.
Therefore, we had to ensure that the Strategy addresses the critical factors related to the revitalization of the Grenada Nutmeg Sector.
In addition the Strategy also focuses on how the country needs to position itself to become a world leading Industry by 2015 and to be recognised for its top quality nutmeg, mace and value added products.
The Strategy is comprehensive and identifies target markets and associated Value Chain issues that impede efficiency and growth of the Sector.
In order to achieve its overall goal, the Strategy for Grenada identified six (6) major objectives:
i) Reinforce access to Market Information to enable better decision-making for the Sector;
ii) Reinforce capacity in G.C.N.A. to better compete and develop the Nutmeg Industry in Grenada;
iii) Increase quality and quantity of nutmeg and mace collected and supplied to G.C.N.A.;
iv) Improve access to finance for all stakeholders to facilitate sector operations and manage risk;
v) Improve cross Ministry co-ordination and public/private partnerships for better policy-making;
vi) Ensure the long term sustainability of the Nutmeg Industry in Grenada.
Having completed the Sector Strategy and Implementation Plan, through working with collaborating agencies certain activities have already commenced. These include the following:
i) Market research and G.C.N.A. strengthening (I.T.C.);
ii) Enhancing plants propagation facilities and propagation efforts;
iii) Land clearing and replanting efforts;
iv) The F.A.O. funded Feasibility Study for Risk Management Mechanism of Agriculture; and
v) Preliminary Inspection and Assessment of Nutmeg Processing Plants.
As evidence of our further commitment to rebuilding the nutmeg industry, our Government has taken the bold step to designate 2012 as the Year of Nutmeg and Other Spices. From the 26th of this month, Grenada for the first time will be hosting a National Spice Festival. This Festival will attract international media in Grenada to film some of our major nutmeg farmers and Nutmeg and Spice Cuisines.
The main goal of the Festival is to once again increase the awareness of the overall importance of the nutmeg and spice industry to our national economy and to increase the use of more spices in our local economy.
I therefore want to take this opportunity to thank all those who have worked hard and selflessly to make the development of the Strategy a reality. Thanks, especially to the Nutmeg Strategy Committee which was chaired by Dr Guido Marcelle, for their enormous effort in steering the process to this excellent product.
I want to take the opportunity also to thank our sponsors, the European Union, the International Trade Centre and Other Collaborating Agencies for making this very important piece of work a reality.
I therefore look forward to the continuing unfolding of the implementation of the Strategy.
Ladies and gentlemen, it is with great pleasure that I today launch the Grenada Nutmeg Sector Development Strategy.
I thank you