Project Brief

Background

This project is built on the premise that there can be no improvement in human security in the Caribbean without addressing the issue of ‘lost opportunities’ and ‘foregone achievement’.  These issues result from deep gender inequality and insufficient progress in the economic empowerment of women and marginalized youth. The objective is to inform and further strengthen the recently formulated Multi-Country Sustainable Development Framework (MSDF) for the Caribbean and promote the delivery of the One United Nations Initiative. The project will focus specifically on the agricultural sector (including fisheries) because of the significant role agriculture plays in Caribbean GDPs and food security. In addition, the agricultural sector is extremely vulnerable to disaster and climate change risk impact and is a sector where gender inequality is possibly most entrenched. 

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The project aims, through a combination of policy reform advocacy, technical support, and services to contribute to human security for farmers and small agro-and fisheries business entrepreneurs, many of whom are women. Small grant support will be offered for livelihoods development and will target approximately 2,500 farmers, fisherfolks and small-business entrepreneurs with at least 50% women and 25% under 40 years, reaching 12,500 people. Pilot and demonstration activities in areas of disaster preparedness and mitigation, climate change adaptation and value chain development will be implemented in 50 community groups, reaching 30,000 people. Through policy reform and institutional strengthening, the project will impact farming, fishing and related small-business activities throughout the five project countries. Other beneficiaries include associated ministries of Agriculture and Fisheries, the National Gender Institutions and Project Focal Points. 

Project Countries

• Antigua & Barbuda
• Barbados
• Dominica
• Grenada
• Saint Lucia

Expected Impact

Project Goal: Enhanced Human Security, through Gender Equality and Women Economic Empowerment in a Resilient and Value-Adding Agricultural (and Fisheries) Sector in the Caribbean

The main output targets and planned activities are in relation to five outcomes in support of the project’s overarching human security impact objective:

1. Gender-responsive and disaster risk resilient agricultural, fisheries and small business extension services, programmes and techniques available and accessible to the most marginalized.
2. Gender responsive social protection, insurance and financial products are available and accessible to marginalized and impoverished groups (specific emphasis placed on women headed households with high dependency ratios, women in agriculture (fisherfolk) and unemployed young men).
3. Increased market access readiness and resilience for smallholder farmers and agriculture related small businesses.
4. Community resilience is strengthened through advocacy and community engagement with farmers, fisherfolk and young people to engage in agriculture and the blue economy
5. Integration and Mainstreaming of the Human Security Approach

Project Funding

• United Nations Human Security Trust Fund (UNHSTF)