ST. GEORGE’S Grenada: As Grenada continues to tread the path of reconstruction and development following Hurricanes Ivan and Emily, major emphasis is being placed on agriculture revitalisation. This sector was severely battered by the two hurricanes, leaving nutmeg, banana and other farm produce in shambles. But with the launch of the Caribbean Agribusiness Association (CABA) in Grenada, some of the problems in the sector can be effectively managed. CABA Grenada is now part of a regional non-profit body comprising agribusiness operators from CARICOM countries, where there are nine established chapters namely Antigua and Barbuda, Barbados, Dominica, Guyana, Haiti, Jamaica, St. Lucia, St. Vincent and Trinidad and Tobago. Speaking at the launch on Tuesday, President of CABA Grenada Ms. Lerona Lewis said the association is not just another ad hoc group of persons coming together, but serious agribusiness operators who intend to work towards addressing issues of common concern that would impact positively on businesses and customers. “The regional body of CABA is the channel through which regional agriculture sector concerns are taken to the Ministerial Level, to help formulate agricultural policies. The national Chapter of CABA will lobby on behalf of its members whose concerns will be forwarded to the regional body,” Ms. Lewis added. Agriculture Minister, Gregory Bowen, welcomed the association and pledged governments full cooperation to help revitalise this very important sector. He said CABA Grenada is well poised to assist in repositioning the country's agricultural economy. “We have the the opportunity to explore ways of increasing productivity, diversifying out products to capture niche markets, retrain our people and strengthen the human resource capacity in agricultural and agribusiness sector, among other”, he said. The parent body of the association in Trinidad has already negotiated a project valued at US$3.7 million, titled “Strengthening marker access opportunities for small and medium enterprise SME in the Caribbean”. The project duration is four years and started in 2004. Reprinted from Caribbean Net News caribbeannetnews.com