Objective of the project
To improve access to social services, social rights, and justice for vulnerable groups in society, with a particular focus on actors in the food system. This goal is pursued through three interrelated approaches.
The objective is pursued through three interconnected areas of intervention. First, the project seeks to strengthen social protection in the agriculture and food sectors, ensuring that farmers, small-scale producers, women, young people and other vulnerable groups have greater opportunities to participate in economic activities, benefit from social protection measures and strengthen their resilience to economic and climate-related challenges.
The second area focuses on strengthening the links between agriculture, food systems and nutrition. The aim is not only to increase local food production, but also to improve access to healthy, diverse and nutritious food, promote healthier eating habits and strengthen public knowledge and awareness of nutrition. Particular attention is given to children, young people, women and local communities.
The third area focuses on promoting the circular economy, social innovation and new solutions within food systems. The project supports initiatives that contribute to the more efficient use of local resources, reduce food and agricultural waste, create greater added value, and introduce more innovative and sustainable models of production, processing and consumption.
Together, these three areas contribute to building more resilient and sustainable food systems in the Caribbean, better responding both to people’s social and nutritional needs and to the region’s long-term development challenges.
Project activities and status
Under the EUCaN grant component, five grant agreements have been signed with organisations in the Caribbean region. The funded projects cover a range of areas, including the promotion of healthy diets, the inclusion of children, young people and women in more sustainable food systems, strengthening local food production, introducing circular economy solutions, and promoting innovation in the agriculture and food sectors.
Several additional grant agreements are expected to be signed in the near future. One project will be implemented in Dominica and will focus on improving livestock quality and strengthening local food production. Another, covering Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, will focus on strengthening fisheries cooperatives, improving fish processing and value addition, and promoting the more sustainable use of available resources.
EUCaN applies a regional approach to grant implementation, encouraging cooperation between Caribbean countries, organisations and different actors across the food system. The aim is to ensure that the experience gained, solutions tested and new practices developed through the projects are relevant not only to individual communities or countries, but can also be adapted and replicated more widely across the region.
Regional cooperation is further strengthened through participation in joint initiatives and regional events.
