NASSAU, Bahamas – Food security was the topic of choice for Agriculture and Marine Resource Minister Larry Cartwright and H Arlington D Chesney, Executive Director of the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) .

Built with funds from CARICOM member countries and donor agencies, CARDI was formed in 1975 to improve agriculture management throughout the Caribbean.

"…Improving the quality of lives of the people of the Caribbean Region through agricultural research and innovation without compromising, biodiversity, biosafety, environment sustainability, and human health." is the message from the CARDI website.

Here's a few more points about CARDI:

MISSION
To contribute to the sustainable economic well being of Caribbean people by the generation and transfer of appropriate technology through agricultural research and development.

GOAL
Increase agricultural and food production and productivity through the use of science, technology, innovation, information resources and sustainable natural resources management, thereby increasing the competitiveness of the agri-food sector and enhancing food and nutrition security.

SLOGAN
Improving Lives through Agricultural Research

REGIONAL FOOD BASKET
CARDI through national consultations in Member Countries is impacting on the regional food basket through commodity programmes – small ruminants, sweet potato, and other root and tuber crops, vegetables, cereals, grain legumes, fruits and hot peppers.

Pictured: Minister Cartwright receives Mr Chesney on January 21 at his office. From left are Cresswell Sturrup, Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Marine Resources; Charmaine Price, Assistant Director of Agriculture; Minister Cartwright; Mr Chesney; Dr Marikis Alvarez, Bahamas Representative, Inter-American Institute for Co-operation in Agriculture; and Under Secretary, Phillip Miller. (BIS photo/Letisha Henderson)