"Forward Ever, Backward Never": Documenting and (Re)Vitalising Revolutionary Agriculture and Sustainable Food Systems in Grenada

点击翻译按钮获取中文摘要

History, culture and politics have shaped the rise and fall of agricultural production in Grenada. During the Grenada Revolution (1979-1983), there was progress in advancing agricultural development in Grenada, with women and youth playing a central role.Despite the progress made during the Revolution, however, agricultural activity has declined, attributable to a combination of several factors. These include inadequate policy and institutional frameworks that have not recognized and incorporated critical tenets such as gender and agricultural entrepreneurship; a rudimentary market structure locally, as well as the loss of preferential regional and international markets; inadequate numbers of skilled persons in the agricultural sector taken together with the complete absence of gender-responsive training within the sector; the lack of financial support for agricultural activities from almost all sources - government, private and lending; a breakdown in the social networks that support agriculture (e.g. farmers' groups); a grossly under-developed agro-processing industry; and finally, the devastating effects of hurricanes on the island over the last few decades.Currently, Grenada's development outlook, including its food security and ability provide adequate employment are under threat. A 2017 World Bank Report indicated that Grenada's poverty and unemployment rates at that time were 37.7% and 28.9% respectively, with poverty and unemployment having the greatest impact on youth and women-headed households, especially in rural areas. The report also stated that improving the current socio-economic conditions in Grenada could rest heavily on revitalizing and boosting its agricultural sector, which in turn will have benefits for local livelihoods and the national economy, as well as for improving food and nutrition security. Moreover, it is expected that reenergizing the agriculture sector, especially with crops that are of cultural and traditional importance (e.g. Nutmeg and Cassava), will help to boost national pride and create a greater sense of national cohesion and well-being.This project is constructed around a growing recognition that both the research basis (knowledge) and capacity to address the systemic agricultural challenges in Grenada are inadequate; and that getting to the heart of the problem rests on an interdisciplinary and multifaceted view into the country's history, culture and environmental exposure-with special emphasis on gender justice and youth empowerment. The project is designed to utilize a suite of complementary methods, tools, and approaches (Photovoice; visual story-telling, arts-based envisioning sessions)--from the Arts and Humanities and the Sciences (Natural and Social)--to undertake its research, build stakeholders' awareness and capacity, and bridge the research-policy divide. Fundamentally, the Action also seeks to establish sustainable partnerships both within Grenada itself and between Grenada and researchers in the UK and other Caribbean countries so as to ensure that the foundation that it will establish can be built upon in future initiatives.The primary beneficiaries of this Action are agricultural stakeholders in Grenada, namely 1) small-scale farmers, especially women and youths; 2) civil society organisations that have an interest/stake in agriculture; 3) Policy-makers and technical staff in Grenada's Ministry of Agriculture and Land, as well as other associated Ministries and public agencies; and (4 Research institutions in Grenada, across the English-speaking Caribbean, and the UK.It is also expected that the learning and results of this project could be of benefit to other small island "developing" states, principally other English-speaking Caribbean countries, where the unique combination of approaches and tools utilized could assist in addressing similar agricultural challenges.