Incatema promotes smart energy alternatives in the Caribbean to contribute to the Region’s Food Security

11 November, 2020

The Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) recently brought together a series of experts for a webinar on "Solar drying for root crop development in the Caribbean region" in the context of the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) signed by Incatema Consulting & Engineering and the FAO, whose primary objective is to help to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) by contributing to food security through the efficient development of food systems that include small producers in developing countries.

Among the initiatives promoted by this MoU, we find the testing of new solar technologies for the drying of root crops and production of flours or meals to increase the sector’s aggregate value. Additionally, to help reduce the dependency on fossil fuels for these farming activities in Barbados.

Use of energetically smart options such as solar energy in added-value activities has the potential not only to reduce food losses, but also to promote the replacement of imports through partial substitution (up to 40%) of wheat flour in bakery products.

The objectives of this MoU, according to the Global Action Programme on Food Security and Nutrition in Small Island Developing States and with the Agrinvest Methodological Framework developed by the FAO, will be realised through various activities, as we previously reported here.