Innovative research partnerships in the development of hot pepper marketing in the Caribbean

This case study in the development of hot pepper marketing in the Caribbean covers the period from the early 1980's to 2000. During the period several partnerships were forged among a host of public and private research institutions, export agencies, private companies and farmer groups to solve major constraints along the commodity chain. The objective of the study is to examine these partnerships that over time have developed the hot pepper commodity and taken advantage of specific niches in the marketplace in North America and the United Kingdom as farmers of the Caribbean strive to be competitive in the face of trade globalisation. In this study, steps in the commodity chain approach are examined and the impact of partnerships assessed
in terms of their effects on the marketing of hot pepper. These steps include genetic improvement, production systems, post harvest technologies and marketing. The partnerships are centred around the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), the region's main agricultural research and development Institute. The research work has spanned eight Caribbean countries but has been conducted mainly in Antigua, St. Lucia, Dominica, Jamaica and Barbados.