The Americas and the Caribbean Regional Consultation

Regional Consultation meeting of CABI's Member Countries in the Americas and the Caribbean

Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago, 16-18 September 2025

Supporting documents

Programme

CABI draft Strategy 2023-2028

Pesticide Risk Reduction – concept outline for CABI Regional Consultation Meetings 2025

News highlights from the Americas and the Caribbean

Day one

Opening ceremony

Welcoming remarks

  • Dr Daniel Elger, Chief Executive Officer, CABI
  • Senator the Honorable Ravi Ratiram, Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries, Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries (MALF), Trinidad and Tobago

Planning together

CABI’s Strategy, Dr Daniel Elger, Chief Executive Officer, CABI

Achieving impact together

Delivering the Strategy

Overview of CABI project activities worldwideDr Daniel Elger, Chief Executive Officer, CABI

Major global programmes:

Regional highlights and plans, Dr Richard Shaw, Senior Regional Director, Europe and Americas, CABI, Dr Yelitza Colmenarez, Director, CABI Brazil-Latin America Centre, Mr Naitram (Bob) Ramnanan, Regional Representative and IAS Coordinator for the Caribbean & Central America, CABI

Working together

Achieving more through partnership, Dr Qiaoqiao Zhang, Director, Memberships, CABI

Day two

Going further together – focus on pesticide risk reduction

Objectives of pesticide risk reduction sessions, Dr Ulli Kuhlmann, Executive Director, Global Operations CABI

  • Keynote addressProfessor Duraisamy (Sara) Saravanakumar, Dean of Postgraduate Studies and Lead Researcher in the Development of Biopesticides and Biomolecule for Plant Health Management, Faculty of Food and Agriculture, University of the West Indies, Trinidad & Tobago
  • Keynote address: Ms Tamara Morrison, Registrar, Pesticides Control Authority, Ministry of Health and Wellness, Jamaica

How do pesticide risk reduction policies in importing countries influence production and market access? Introduction, Dr Ulli Kuhlmann, Executive Director, Global Operations, CABI

External expert presentations exploring the intersection between differing stringency in pesticide policy, trade and SPS:

  • Dr Pablo Benavides – Leader of the Department of Entomology, Centro Nacional de Investigaciones de Café (Cenicafé), Colombia
  • Ms Michelle Deugd – Director, Forests and Agriculture, Rainforest Alliance, Costa Rica
  • Mr Richard Glasgow – Pesticides and Toxic Chemicals Inspector III, Chemistry, Food and Drugs Division, Ministry of Health, Trinidad & Tobago

Barriers and opportunities for the uptake of bioprotection products, Dr Bryony Taylor, Stratgeic Planning Manager, CABI

The role of different stakeholders in the uptake of integrated pest management/bioprotection approaches, Dr Ulli Kuhlmann, Executive Director, Global Operations, CABI

Panel session with diverse stakeholder perspectives:

  • Ms Catalina Mora – Senior Manager, Strategic Programs, Sustainable Agriculture Network, Costa Rica
  • Mr Edwin Samir Barbosa – Regional Manager and Study Director,
  • Latin America, Minor Use Foundation, Colombia
  • Dr Janet Lawrence – Agricultural Health, Food Safety and Quality Specialist, Caribbean, Instituto Interamericano de Cooperación para la Agricultura (IICA), Barbados

Regional experiences and lessons

  • Dr Christian Alfaro Jara – National Deputy Director of Research and Development (R&D), Instituto de Investigaciones Agropecuarias (INIA), Chile
  • Mr Bret Taylor – Senior Agricultural Officer, Ministry of Agriculture
  • and Food Security, Barbados
  • Mr Thaddeaus Peters – Chief Agricultural Officer, Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Forestry, Grenada
  • Dr Valéria Burmeister Martins – General Coordinator for Bioeconomy
  • and Genetic Resources, Department for Innovation Support in Agriculture, Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock, Brazil

Global movements towards pesticide risk reduction

  • Ms Shalina Rooplal – Research Analyst, The Basel Convention Regional Centre for Training and Technology Transfer for the Caribbean, Trinidad & Tobago
  • Ms Karen McDonald Gayle – Executive Director, Caribbean Biodiversity Fund, Jamaica

Day three

Going further together – focus on pesticide risk reduction (continued)

Challenges and opportunities on the ground for the implementation of pesticide risk reduction practices, Dr Ulrich Kuhlmann, Executive Director, Global Operations, CABI

Panel session with diverse stakeholder perspectives:

  • Ms Shoba Marimuthu – Field Officer II, Quality Assurance Department, The National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation (NAMDEVCO), Trinidad & Tobago
  • Dr Daniel Herrera – Technical and Quality Manager, Fyffes Pineapples, Costa Rica
  • Mr Nigel Grimes – Technical Adviser and Member of the Board of the MarVista Institute for Agricultural Training and Development (MAITD), Trinidad & Tobago

Plenary discussions on issues raised in presentations and discussions

Presentation of draft outline of action plans/summary, Dr Ulrich Kuhlmann, Executive Director, Global Operations, CABI

Closing and vote of thanks, Dr Daniel Elger, Chief Executive Officer, CABI

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