Caribbean Conference on Sustainable

Tourism Development

“Keeping the Right Balance: Enhancing

Destination Sustainability through

Products, Partnerships, Profitability”

Gia Gaspard-Taylor, President NRWPTT

Network of Rural Women Producers

Trinidad and Tobago (NRWP)

‘Promoting Entrepreneurship

through Festivals:

Exploitation of the mango from

seed to table’

Gia Gaspard-Taylor, President NRWPTT

History/Objective

of NRWP

• History

– Formed in 1995

• Objectives of NRWPTT

– To enhance the capacity of rural women

– To increase income and livelihoods

• NRWPTT is a member of CANROP

NRWP activities

• Mango an item of Celebration

– Small wonder that a festival around the fruit brought here

by our forefathers and which is found throughout the

region is now an item of celebration

– Guided Educational Tours to Mango Estates

• The Commonwealth Foundation 10th Women Ministerial

Meeting invited us to present the mango Festival as a case

history in Bangladesh

• Participation in the biannual Caribbean Week of Agriculture

(CWA)

• Membership in Associated Country Women of the World

(ACWW) accredited to the United Nations

• Facilitate training courses for members:

– Business management and finance

– Handcrafted paper making

– Agro processing

– Proposal writing

– Handicraft and soap making

• Facilitate group exchanges (locally & regionally)

• Have a twinned arrangement with Suriname for an exchange of technology

NRWP Activities

Training – Soap Making

How the Festival is Catching On

• Participation in annual events:

– World Food Day (hosted by FAO, MFP)

– World Biodiversity Day

– International Women's Day (March)

– International Rural Women's Day (October)

– International events:

• United Nations Commission on the Status of Women

Conference, Commonwealth Foundation,

• OAS-sponsored Sustainable Development Programme

• Rule of Law on Women (Peru, Barcelona)

Success to Date

• Our success to date shows the historical and

innovative nature of the festival on three counts:

A popular Caribbean fruit

Women as innovative and enterprising producers

It is an agricultural product and dear to our Caribbean hearts, celebrated in all its

manifestations.

Origins & Development of the

Mango Festival

NRWP accepted a challenge by FAO in 2009 to host a Mango Festival

First Mango Festival partnered with IICA, MFPLMA & FAO(2009)

Second and third Mango Festivals partnered with IICA, MFPLMA, UWI , FAO & TDC (2010 & 2011)

Support from ADB , NAMDEVCO in 2010

Attracted regional participants in 2010 & 2011

Fourth Mango Conference and Festival in 2012

Support from the Ministry of Finance

for 2012

Honourable Senator Larry Howai

Minister of Finance receives a

gift of Mango Products from

President of the Network, Gia

Gaspard Taylor

NRWP President receives special invitation

from the Ministry of Finance to the Pre-

Budget and Post Budget Consultation, where

he spoke about the initiative to promote the

potential of the “King of Fruits” the Mango.

Supported by the Minister of Trade and

Industry, The Annual Mango Festival took a

different direction in 2012 with the

introduction of The Mango Conference,

Theme “From Seed to Table” at University

of the West Indies, bringing interest groups to

the table to explore the theme and mangoes

in all its forms.

One positive out-come was the establishment

of an action committee for the development

of the mango industry.

PARTNERS IN THE MANGO FESTIVAL

.

Celebrated in all its Manifestations

TTNRWP 2011

Culture: use of the mango tree

Educational Dimensions of the Mango

Festival

Chart showing the Nutritional Value of the Mango (UWI)

Budding and Grafting Demonstrations

Educational Dimensions of the Mango

Festival

Health Benefits of Mango

Improves Digestion

– Mangoes are very beneficial for people suffering from acidity and its

enzymes help relieve indigestion problems.

– It’s bio-active elements such as Esters, Terpenes and Aldehydes aid

in easy digestion.

Lowers Cholesterol

– High level of soluble dietary fiber.

– Pectin and vitamin C present in mangoes help to lower serum

cholesterol levels specifically Low-Density Lipoprotein (LDL)

Cholesterol.

Health Benefits of Mango

For Better Sex

− The Vitamin E which is abundantly present in mangoes helps to

regulate sex hormones and boosts sex drive. In many varieties of

mango there is about 2.3 to 3 mg of Vitamin E per mango.

Improves Concentration and Memory Power

− Mangoes are useful to children who lack concentration in studies as it

contains Glutamine acid which is good to boost memory and keep cells

active.

For Treating Acne

− Mango helps in clearing clogged pores that causes acne. Just slice the

mango into very thin pieces and keep it on your face for 10 to 15 min

and then take a bath or wash your face. Use warm water to wash your

face.

Health Benefits of Mango

High Iron for Women − Mango is rich in Iron.

− Helps persons who suffer from anaemia

− Generally women after menopause become weak and they should take

mangoes and other fruits rich in iron.

− Pregnant ladies can also take mangoes occasionally as their body

needs iron and calcium during that time.

NOTE: Too much consumption of mangoes should be avoided

during pregnancy. If you have generally taken lots of mangoes right

from your childhood then you can consume mangoes when you are

pregnant as it won’t affect your body.

Health Benefits of Mango

Diabetes

− Mango is slowly gaining new acclaim as diabetes fighter.

− Early myth: people with diabetes should not eat mangoes

− Fact: the fruit & leaves also fight against diabetes.

[Before going to bed put 10 to 15 mango leaves in warm water,

cover container with lid. Next morning filter the water and drink it on

empty stomach. Do this regularly]

Prevents Cancer and Heart diseases

− High amount of antioxidants are present in mangoes.

− Mango when consumed regularly fights against cancer and other

heart diseases.

− Also lowers cholesterol.

Products Displayed at the Mango Festival

• Edible Products

– Cakes

– Juices

– Wines

– Ice-cream

– Mango cakes & pastries (rolls, mango leather, cookies, bread etc)

– Mango condiments (kuchella, anchar, pickles, hot sauce, chow-chow etc)

– Mango jams & jellies & cheeses

– Food (mango curry chicken, mango stew chicken and pork etc)

Edible Products

Other Edible Products

Wines, condiments, mango crumble, cheese & jams

Non-edible Products Displayed at the

Mango Festival

Non-edible products

– Handcrafted jewelry

– Handcrafted soaps

– Handcrafted paper gift boxes/bags

– Creams, lip balms, sugar scrubs,

– Shampoos

– Foot-scrubs

– Liquid soap

Non-edible Products

Soap Display at Festival

Innovative Handicraft Products

Exploiting The Potential & Opportunities Of The

Mango Festival

• Generates income for members and contributes to economic activity

• Stimulates the development of the rural cottage industry and brings national attention to the extent to which mango and other fruits can be further developed commercially

• Provides opportunities to become a major tourist attraction in the national calendar of events

• It highlights further possibilities of incorporating the mango in local/international cuisine

Exploiting The Potential & Opportunities Of The

Mango Festival

• Open the doors for members to:

– Participate in international events

– Participate in UNDP Innovative Regional Competition

– Increase networking with international organizations/ institutions

– Attract greater funding

– Showcase the use and value of other fruits

– Hosted the Mango Conference in 2012 and looking forward to 2013.

Robert Reid, IICA Agribusiness Specialist,

delivers a presentation at the 4th Mango

Conference in UWI, T & T

Mango Conference

Participation by Grenada

The Mango Festival celebrates the diversity

and utility of the mango and was well

patronized by persons home and abroad.

2012 also included a competitive element

and the winner of the best booth ZONE 123

COPPED THE AWARD FOR MOST

INNOVATIVE MANGO PRODUCT.

TTNRWP 2011

The Annex: #10 Austin Street St. Augustine, Trinidad & Tobago Tel: 1 868 683 4251: Fax: 1 868 640 2231 Email: nrwptt@gmail.com Email: president@nrwptt.net Web: http://www.nrwptt.net