Second Caribbean Regional Trialogue
Location: Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago
Participating Countries: Antigua and Barbuda, Guyana, Cuba, Dominica, Dominican Republic, Grenada, Trinidad and Tobago
View Event Trinidad and Tobago’s engagement with BES-Net was initiated through its participation in the Caribbean Regional Trialogue in September 2018, which catalysed national dialogue on the uptake of the IPBES Assessment on Pollinators, Pollination and Food Production. Building on this momentum, the country accessed support under BES-Net Phase II through the BES Solution Fund (2021–2024) to implement priority actions identified during the Trialogue. Leveraging its rich biodiversity and diverse ecosystems, the initiative was structured around science, policy and practice components, aiming to strengthen knowledge, inform policy and promote practical conservation of pollinators at national and community levels.
A key achievement of the BES Solution Fund in Trinidad and Tobago was the strengthening of the scientific knowledge base on pollinators and their ecosystem services. Through targeted research and citizen science, over 760 pollinator species were documented via contributions to the iNaturalist database, alongside the development of plant–pollinator and Lepidoptera databases. Field studies on bees, bats and seagrasses generated new insights into pollinator diversity and behaviour, including the potential identification of previously unrecorded bee genera. These efforts were complemented by capacity-building workshops on pollinator sampling and identification, DNA barcoding of species and partnerships with local communities, non-governmental organizations and international research institutions. Baseline data generated through a knowledge, attitudes and practices survey further guided project interventions and outreach strategies.
At the policy and practice levels, the project advanced the uptake of IPBES recommendations through inclusive stakeholder engagement, practical tools and community action. A theory of change workshop involving government and non-government stakeholders produced a draft road map for a national pollinator strategy, while the country’s membership in the Coalition of the Willing on Pollinators reinforced policy commitment. Practical outputs included the development of the country’s first guidelines for stingless bee management, the establishment of three pollinator gardens and the delivery of extensive training, outreach and communication activities targeting farmers, educators and the public. Knowledge-sharing platforms such as workshops, webinars, media campaigns and a growing beekeeper network fostered sustained engagement and behavioural change. Together, these interventions strengthened the science-policy-practice interface and supported the integration of pollinator conservation into national biodiversity management and sustainable food production systems.
Start of BES Solution Fund implementation period: 1 July 2021
End of BES Solution Fund implementation period: 30 June 2024
Implementing agency: UNDP Multi-Country Office for Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Curacao and Sint Maarten
Government Partner: Environmental Policy and Planning Division, Ministry of Planning and Development
