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July 2013
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UWI and FAO strengthen ties
The courtesy call came on the heels of Professor Sankat’s presentation at the 30th West Indies Agricultural Economic Conference on July 1, where he urged Caribbean leaders to “walk the talk” and deepen the support of research, development and innovation in Food and Agriculture through the urgent adoption of several initiatives, including the removal of physical and technical barriers to agricultural trade in the region. Between 2003 and 2004, Dr. Graziano da Silva served in the President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva cabinet of Brazil as Extraordinary Minister for Food Security, and was responsible for implementing the Fome Zero programme, which took 28 million people out of the national poverty line during the 8 years of the Lula administration. Elected on June 26, 2011, Dr. Graziano became the first Latin American Director General of the Food and Agriculture Organization. Having assumed this role on January 1, 2012, his term will come to an end in July 2015. Acting Dean, Dr. Carlisle Pemberton, gave the delegation, which included Carlos Hartog, Special Adviser, FAO, Rome; Sharon Brennen-Haylock, FAO, New York; Dr. John Deep Ford, Sub Regional Coordinator for the Caribbean and Representative for Barbados, and Dr. Barton Clarke, FAO Representative, United Nations, a presentation of the work and achievements of The UWI’s Faculty of Food and Agriculture. They then received a guided tour of the Chocolate Production Lab at the internationally recognised Cocoa Research Centre of the St. Augustine Campus. The contingent was in Trinidad & Tobago to participate in the 34th Regular Meeting of the Conference of Heads of Government of CARICOM. |
On July 5, Director-General Dr. José Graziano da Silva of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), paid a courtesy call on Professor Clement Sankat, Principal and Pro Vice Chancellor and staff of the new Faculty of Food and Agriculture of The UWI.