Chief executive officer of the Barbados Agricultural Society, James Paul (left), shares a word with Chairman of the CPA and Executive Director of the CPA, Dr. Desmond Ali (right), after the opening session of the fourth annual technical symposium of the CPA yesterday morning.
THE importance of international collaboration to move the region’s poultry industry forward has been underscored by President of the Caribbean Poultry Association David Reimer.
He was speaking during the fourth annual technical symposium of the CPA which is being held at the Courtyard Marriott under the theme, “Improving the Competitiveness of the Caribbean Poultry Industry”.
According to Reimer, “We are all small countries with very limited resources, so that international cooperation is absolutely vital to us to maintain the sustainability and competitiveness of our industry which plays such a vital role in the socio-economic development of our societies.”
He explained that since the formation of the CPA in February 1999, the association has played a major role in dealing with issues in trade, technology, human resource development and information dissemination that impact our industry in particular and our societies in general. “We continue to be sardines in ponds full of ravenous sharks.”
Reimer, who is also the President of the Belize Poultry Association told the packed symposium, “By global standards, we are tiny producers but our industry is of vital importance to the well-being of our Caribbean people. First of all, we love chicken and our regional industry fully recognises the crucial role that we play in socio-economic development.”
“We are now the largest agribusiness in the region, creating employment, rural development, contributing significantly to GDP, food security and the nutrition of our people and visitors to our shores.”
“We are committed to growth, intra-regional trade and the continued development of our people and our societies. Through these symposia and through exchanges of information and research, we intend to remain at the cutting edge of the technology,” he assured.
The symposium is being held under the sub-theme of “Producing Poultry in the Hot, Humid Tropics with Special Reference to Small Island Developing States”.
“I draw to your attention that it was only in the last few days that the USDA announced a grant of US$500 000 over three years to the University of Maryland, to study the effects of heat stress on chickens, to improve their well-being and to increase productivity,” Reimer said.
He stated that against the backdrop of the recent hurricanes that have wreaked havoc on neighbouring Caribbean territories, the poultry industry possesses great potential to aid in the recovery process in those islands. “It is therefore particularly appropriate that our symposium will focus on Small Island Developing States since we are all in this category,” he said. Several regional and international experts are presenting during the symposium which concludes today.
(JH)