Communication, Mobilisation and
Institutional Strengthening
CDE Project Initial Step
Cocoa Research Centre (CRU) was chosen as the lead consultant for the first stage of the project. This stage was launched in a workshop conducted by CRU in January, 2011
The key activity in this initial step was to communicate and advise stakeholders on
- the findings of the diagnostic stage
- the expectations for and obligations to the project and
- investment required
Another part of the initial stage was mobilising the stakeholders to participate.
The expected outcome of this meeting was as follows:
Greater awareness of the CDE programme;
Enterprise Data Sheets will be received from each enterprise ready to participate in the project such as:
- Nurseries (Component 1)
- Laboratories (Component 2)
- Value Added Products (Component 3)
- Improvement of productivity and quality in Haiti (Component 4)
- Agri-Tourism (Component 5)
Workshops
A series of workshops were held in each of the seven (7) stakeholder countries from January to May 2011. These workshops were organised using local consultants identified and contracted by the project in collaboration with the national cocoa boards or key national stakeholder group.
Workshops with joint CIRAD and CRU leadership were held in Trinidad and Tobago on 26th January, Dominican Republic on 1st February and Jamaica on 4th February 2011. Workshops led by CRU were held in Grenada and the Commonwealth of Dominica on 15th March and 17th March respectively and in Belize on 29th March 2011. Representatives from CIRAD led the workshop in Haiti held on 19th May 2011.
A total of fifteen (15) data enterprise sheets were collected from interested stakeholders in Trinidad and Tobago, thirteen (13) from the Dominican Republic, twelve (12) from Jamaica, ten (10) from Grenada, seven (7) from the Commonwealth of Dominica, one (1) participant from Belize and six (6) from Haiti.
What's Next
The next logical step from this “Communication, Mobilisation and Institutional Strengthening” phase will be to organise the terms of reference and budgets for the specific interventions in each country and work with the stakeholders who expressed a willingness to receive technical assistance, completed data enterprise sheets and met the CDE selection criteria.
