C A R I N E T

The Caribbean Taxonomic Network of 
BioNET-INTERNATIONAL

Achievements

• CARINET has been instituted by CARICOM Member States to facilitate the improvement of biosystematic services available to the region, and a Secretariat was established through the BioNET Fund.

• CARINET has been the mechanism and enabler for the identification of the noxious pest, the Pink (Hibiscus) Mealybug. This led to recognition of CARINET by international agencies and member countries of the Network as a centre of taxonomic services within CARICOM. 

CARINET has coordinated the following regional workshops:

· Identification of Mealybugs of the Caribbean and Latin America :1997 (funded by the Commonwealth Science Council and IICA.

· Mycology Workshop: "Caribbean Regional Course on the Taxonomy and Identification of Plant Pathogenic Fungi and Bacteria of Agricultural Importance: 1998 (funded by Commonwealth Secretariat and CABI Partnership Faculty BIONET INTERNATIONAL).

· Developing Caribbean Self-Reliance in Mycology, Entomology and Nematology: 1998.

· Curation and Collection Management of insects: 2000 (funded by MoA (T&T) and FAVACA. 

· Pests of Major Phytosanitary Significance in the Caribbean Sub- Region: 2002 (funded by FAO)

· Identification of Scale Insects and Their Natural Enemies: 2002 (funded by Integrated Pest Management Project under the EC-CARIFORUM Caribbean Agriculture and Fisheries Research Programme) 

· Identification and Management of Weeds of Economic Importance to the Caribbean: 2003 ( (funded by Integrated Pest Management Project under the EC-CARIFORUM Caribbean Agriculture and Fisheries Research Programme)

·  Insect Taxonomy & Identification of  Natural Arthropod Enemies: 2003 (funded by Agriculture Support Service Project, Jamaica)

· Identification of Mites of economic importance to the Caribbean and their natural enemies: 2003 ( Funded by EDF through EU-CARIFORUM IPM Project and FAVACA)

§ CARINET has facilitated the training of three scientists through the BioNET Fellowship Programme. The first Fellowship provided the countries of CARICOM, in the person of Ms. Doreen Jodhan, (T&T) who worked on macro fungi (Basidiomycetes). The second Fellowship awarded to Mr. Lennox Chandler (Barbados)  will provide CARICOM countries with taxonomic expertise on mealybugs and whiteflies of the Caribbean and their natural enemies.

§ Mrs. Pearl Wharton Gill received training at CABI BIOSCIENCE in the identification and characterization of Ralstonia spp. 

• CARINET has produced a number of publications, including the Needs Assessment Survey of Biosystematic Resources in the Caribbean and the CARINET Manifesto & Portfolio which was done jointly with the BioNET Technical Secretariat and provides vital background data for its funding bid to agencies. 

• CARINET has embarked on the development of databases for the Network with the assistance of the Centre for Technological Cooperation in Agricultural and Rural Development (CTA) and  Inter American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture ( IICA).

• CARINET is involved in South-South linkages. One entomologist was trained in the taxonomy of Alticidae (Chrysomelidae; Coleoptera) at Central University, Maracay, Venezuela.

§ CARINET has Published the following in 2003-

Ø Training manual on the Identification of Weeds of economic importance to the Caribbean

Ø Identification keys to the insect orders- Coleoptera, Homoptera, Lepidoptera, Hymenoptera- discussed at the ASSP workshop.

Ø Training manual on the identification of plant feeding mites with special reference to the Caribbean and their natural enemies

Ø Datasheets (60) on pests (Arthropods, pathogens, mollusks and weeds) of phytosanitary significance to the Caribbean.

§ CARINET is currently involved in the establishment of CariPestNet- A pest and disease Advice and Information network for the Caribbean (funded by- CTA) http://groups.yahoo.com/groups/caripestnet

Copyright CARINET