The workshop was convened to disseminate the findings of a region-wide needs assessment on the revitalisation of the Caribbean coconut industry and to build consensus around a coordinated pathway for sectoral transformation. Funded by the European Commission through the ACP and CARIFORUM framework, the study provided an evidence-based assessment of structural challenges, market opportunities, and priority intervention areas affecting the coconut value chain.

Central to the workshop discussions were two strategic intervention streams: (i) the development and diversification of coconut-based value-added products, and (ii) improvements in production, productivity, and overall efficiency. Participants examined practical measures for strengthening cottage-scale and industrial processing, upgrading technology, enhancing competitiveness, and expanding consumer awareness, while also addressing systemic constraints such as ageing plantations, limited genetic diversity, and plant health threats.

The workshop underscored the importance of strengthening national scientific and technical capacity, particularly through collaborative research on key coconut diseases affecting regional yields. Case-specific development initiatives, including targeted rehabilitation projects in St. Lucia and Guyana, were highlighted as models for scalable intervention.

A key outcome of the workshop was broad stakeholder endorsement of the recommendation that each CARIFORUM country develop a national Coconut Industry Road Map and business plan, grounded in inclusive value-chain participation. The forum successfully secured high-level policy engagement, with outcomes presented to Ministers of Agriculture and subsequently endorsed by COTED, thereby positioning the coconut industry as a strategic component of regional agricultural diversification, rural livelihoods, and sustainable economic development.