News Releases

UWI FFA Showcases Regional Leadership at 19th Caribbean Week of Agriculture

For Release Upon Receipt - October 28, 2025

St. Augustine


St. Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago, October 23rd, 2025 - From September 29 to October 3, a delegation from The University of the West Indies’ (The UWI), St. Augustine Campus attended the 19th Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA) in St Kitts and Nevis and led four technical sessions which explored the future of regional food systems, research, education, innovation, agritourism and sustainable fisheries.

 

 Delegation from The University of the West Indies (The UWI), St. Augustine’s Faculty of Food and Agriculture (FFA) attending the Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA).

With this year’s CWA themed Sowing Change, Harvesting Resilience: Transforming Our Caribbean Food Systems for 2025 and Beyond, the FFA’s four sessions strategically addressed the topic of strengthening agricultural extension systems across CARICOM, the role of education, innovation and agri-entrepreneurship in advancing food systems. The sessions also addressed ways agri-tourism synergies can strengthen regional food security and cultural identity and the role of the Ecosystem Approach to Fisheries (EAF).

These expertly crafted sessions were executed by The UWI delegation, which included FFA Dean Professor Mark Wuddivira, Dr. Gaius Eudoxie, Dr. Oral Daley, Dr. Ronald Roopnarine, Dr. Wendy-Ann Isaac, Dr. Arlette Saint Ville, Dr. Jeanelle Joseph, Ms. Celine Suchit, Ms. Shawna Evangelist, Prof. Wayne Ganpat, and Dr. Preeya Mohan.

Additionally, the delegation also collaborated with key regional and international partners, including the IICA, CARDI, Banwari Experience Ltd., FAO, PISLM, CAHFSA and CDB, which underscored the importance of academia–policy–industry partnerships for food security and innovation.

Under the leadership of the Faculty of Food and Agriculture (FFA), various informative sessions were led and advanced key regional initiatives at the CWA aimed at transforming food systems and building climate resilience. In a session led by Dr. Gaius Eudoxie, participants agreed on the urgent need to modernise and integrate agricultural extension across CARICOM, including digital platforms, knowledge-sharing partnerships with FAO, CARDI, IICA, CDB, PISLM, and CAHFSA, and the incorporation of indigenous knowledge. A working group was formed to link the Caribbean Agriculture Knowledge Portal with the FAO/UWI platform.

 

 Faculty of Food and Agriculture delegates join fellow Caribbean Week of Agriculture participants on a field visit to Bayford’s Hatchery, gaining insight into regional aquaculture practices.

A second session, coordinated by Prof. Wuddivira, highlighted education, research, and innovation as the foundation of resilient agri-food systems, with experts calling for greater investment in human capacity, climate finance, and entrepreneurship. Further sessions explored Agri-tourism as a driver of food security and cultural identity, launching the Food & Nutrition Security and Sustainable Tourism Conference and Caribbean Beach Food Festival, scheduled for March 31–April 5, 2026, in Trinidad and Tobago, and showcased regional advances in sustainable fisheries through the REBYC-III CLME+ and EAF4SG projects with UN FAO and the GEF.

 

 Professor Mark Wuddivira, Dean of The UWI St. Augustine’s Faculty of Food and Agriculture, and Dr. Gaius Eudoxie participate in the 121st Special Meeting of the Council for Trade and Economic Development (COTED).

Outside of The UWI’s four strategic sessions, Professor Wuddivira led The UWI delegation’s participation in the 121st Special Meeting of COTED at the CWA. At this forum, the delegation delivered a statement emphasizing the need for greater coordination and investment in agricultural education, research, and technical training across the region.  To achieve this, The UWI delegation stressed that nurturing talent and equipping people with the tools not just to survive but to innovate is required for true resilience and is achieved through investment in sustained academic training. The delegation called for the establishment of a single regional agricultural extension learning management platform to standardised training, share best practices, and build capacity across CARICOM member states.

In addition to the COTED Special Meeting, Professor Wuddivira held high-level developmental meetings with Dr Bénédicte Werner and Dr. Muhammad Ibrahim. Dr. Werner is the lead sustainability expert at the Brussels-based Committee Linking Entrepreneurship-Agriculture-Development (COLEAD), while Dr Ibrahim is IICA’s Director of Technical Cooperation. Professor Wuddivira, alongside Dr. Daley and Dr Roopnarine, also held high-level meetings with other stakeholders that focused on driving economic growth and climate resilience through plant genetic resources, building climate resilience and food security using sweet potatoes, proven digital solutions for improving agri-food system efficiency (drone technology and capacity building) and moving towards a more sustainable livestock sector through the use of locally available feed ingredients.

With The UWI positioning itself as a key regional hub for building the next generation of agricultural professionals, it underscores the urgent need for investment in advancing agricultural education, postgraduate research, and innovation. In doing this, the Caribbean can ensure it has a skilled, research-driven workforce which can overcome persistent challenges like the region's vulnerability to climate change, limited resources, and high dependence on food imports.

END 

 About the Faculty of Food and Agriculture

The Faculty of Food and Agriculture (FFA) at The University of the West Indies, St Augustine, is the region’s leading centre for agricultural education, research, and outreach. Building on a proud legacy of over 100 years since the establishment of the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture (ICTA), the FFA remains committed to advancing regional food and nutrition security, environmental sustainability, and innovation through teaching, research, and partnership.

About The University of the West Indies

The University of the West Indies (The UWI) is the Caribbean’s premier higher education institution and one of only two regional universities in the world. With five campuses across the English-speaking Caribbean and global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa, and Europe, The UWI continues to be a beacon of academic excellence, research innovation, and societal impact. Consistently ranked among the world’s best by Times Higher Education (THE), The UWI is a global leader in addressing critical challenges, including climate change, sustainability, and development.

As The UWI St. Augustine Campus celebrates its 65th anniversary in 2025 under the theme Beyond 65: From the Caribbean, For the World, it pays tribute to its Caribbean roots while highlighting its contributions to solving global challenges. This milestone underscores the campus's significant role in producing ground-breaking research and fostering talent that transcends regional boundaries to shape a better world. The UWI St. Augustine’s researchers, academics, and graduates continue to make an international impact, exemplifying the university’s mission to serve the region while influencing the world.

Learn more at www.uwi.edu 

 

Contact