Caribbean news. ST. GEORGE’S, GRENADA, May 22, 2014 – GIS: Prime Minister Dr. the Rt. Hon. Keith Mitchell met with the Senior Representatives from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) on Tuesday, May 20th, to discuss what the Supervisory Mission referred to as the “beautiful machinery that is called MAREP” – describing Grenada’s once ailing Market Access and Rural Enterprise Development Programme.
The Head of the Supervisory Mission, from a United Nations Agency called the International Fund for Agriculture (IFAD), informed the Prime Minister that Grenada had been chosen out of all the IFAD Projects in the Caribbean to be showcased to the world at the next conference of Small Island Developing States in Samoa.
To feature Grenada, a film crew will visit the country to capture the real life stories of rural people in communities engaged in the MAREP programme. The story will also feature the innovation of Pure Grenada, Isle of Spice and how this destination brand offers promise for market access to small-scale producers that can be supported by MAREP. The project is focused on helping rural producers overcome key development barriers so they can raise themselves out of poverty and develop in a socially and environmentally responsible way.
IFAD’s Country Programme Manager, Paolo Silveri remarked to the Prime Minister that during his first mission to Grenada in June of 2013, he had the displeasure of informing the Government that MAREP was entering a risk situation where projects require special oversight. He noted that “in very few months, the government has managed to make a difference.” Mr. Silveri commended the Prime Minister for the quality of people who have been recruited to the programme and for the transparency of the recruitment process.
The Prime Minister noted that MAREP’s achievements were a reflection of the strong commitment of the government to ensure that its work reaches and impacts the lives of people at the community level, because it is essential that ‘good governance’ always includes lifting the lives of people on the ground.
