Nassau, The Bahamas: Representative to The Bahamas of the Inter- American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) Ms. Mari Dunleavy, paid a courtesy call on Minister of Agriculture and Marine Resources, Hon. Michael Pintard on Wednesday, 26^th May, 2021.

The meeting served as a formal introduction between Minister Michael Pintard and Ms. Mari Dunleavy to jumpstart initiatives between the Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and IICA.  

Ms. Dunleavy brought compliments on behalf of Director General of IICA, Manuel Otero, and thanked Minister Pintard and the government of The Bahamas for their support of her as IICA’s new representative. She stated that IICA is here to serve the government. One of their mission is to ensure that the government and IICA’s priorities are aligned and that those priorities are also aligned with the science which is always the driving factor for IICA; economic development is a close second. Ms. Dunleavy further expressed that IICA will be aligned with the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources needs, however, they must be guided by the Minister and the Ministry of its priorities.

Minister Pintard welcomed Ms. Mari Dunleavy and expressed his interest in seeing adjustments made to collaborative efforts between the Ministry and each of its intragovernmental agencies including IICA. He indicated that as the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources builds capacity internally, it is important that the Ministry sets the agenda and enlists the support of all the other agencies with whom it works. The goal is for government to cast vision, stakeholders with whom the government work support vision and the Ministry will be open to be redirected in the event that there is compelling information provided.

 Minister Pintard advised IICA representatives that The Bahamas could use it’s assistance in the following areas:

• Establishing a working relationships with the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources and IICA consistent with what the Ministry has laid out in the strategic plan for agriculture in The Bahamas.
• Making the Planning and Policy Unit the point of contact thus reducing bottlenecks and moving the Ministry forward with its goal.
• Assisting farmers and the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources in increasing production levels and capacity in The Bahamas.
• Agro-villages and replication of IICA’s FAB Labs in Costa Rica.  Agro-villages are data-driven, smart farms proposed for New Providence and Grand Bahama followed by four others in Family Islands. The goal is to replicate Fab Labs that IICA has in Costa Rica in welcome centers. The Ministry is going to build a welcome center in each Agro-village.
• The global agro-tech hackathon that FAO has given permission to The Bahamas to launch. IICA signed on as a partner with the Ministry, however, the initiative was interrupted by hurricane Dorian, then by the pandemic.

IICA representatives requested assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources in the following:

• Certification Training with the Produce Safety Alliance. The training is for twenty-five Bahamian growers who are interested in exporting. This program is a requirement by the United States of America for all of their farmers.
• Assistance with the Agriculture Radio program which is scheduled to be broadcasted and podcasted twice monthly on Guardian Radio about all-things Agriculture in The Bahamas.
• Expanding Agri-tourism in The Bahamas with the use of all-Bahamian branded festivals. Agri-tourism is going be a significant portion of IICA’s programs in regions that are Tourism dependent such as The Bahamas.

Ms Dunleavy was most appreciative of the meeting with the Minister and the information received to support their mission as The Bahamas’ IICA’s Representative, 

Both sides shared respect and realized the potential that this collaboration holds for both organizations. Minister Pintard presented a gift to the IICA’s Representative, Ms. Dunleavy.