CARDI celebrates 40 years on December 5th, 2014. The Institute was established on December 5, 1974, with the signatures of Ministers with responsibility for agriculture of the then twelve (12) existing members of CARICOM. It replaced the Regional Research Centre which was located within the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture and, subsequently, the University of the West Indies. This was in response to the Governments of the Region desire for equal emphasis to be placed on food commodities along with that being given to those traditionally for export. Even in those years, Governments were conscious of the need for the Region to enhance its Food for Nutrition Security.

In celebration of 40 years of ‘improving lives through agricultural research’, CARDI is hosting a series of stakeholder engagement Open Days across the Region.
- December 9th – Grenada
- December 10th – Belize; St Kitts and Nevis
- December 11th – Antigua & Barbuda; Jamaica
- December 12th – Dominica
- Barbados’ Open Day is scheduled for early January 2015
In his Anniversary Message, Executive Director, Dr. Arlington Chesney said ‘on behalf of the Directors, Management and Staff, I commit CARDI to continue to work assiduously for the modernization and revitalization of the sector in the Region.’
But after forty years, where and how can CARDI advance and improve? Dr. Chesney mused that ‘the Institute must continue its transition from research and development to research for development. This implies that its work must impact on the livelihoods of persons in the rural and agricultural communities; endeavour to develop technologies and processes that would allow for adoption, and/or adaptation and/or scaling up; work with Member States to ensure that the Institute retains a motivated and devoted workforce; and work with its shareholders, clients and strategic partners so as to consolidate its position as the preferred Regional Research for Development Institute.’
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