Farmers from East and West St. George, South WIndward and the Marriaqua Valley received essential farming supplies during a distribution ceremony on Monday, August 12 2024, in Richland Park, as the Government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines commenced the distribution phase of the Component 3.0 UBEC CERC, “Food Insecurity Project”, funded by the World Bank.
The distributed items included:
Knapsack sprayers, hoes, forks, shovels, rakes, files and cutlasses among other necessary farming tools. Speakers at the ceremony included; the Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labour – The Honourable Saboto Caesar, Minister of Parliament (MP) for Marriaqua and Minister of Health and the Environment – The Honourable St. Clair Prince, Chief Agricultural Officer of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Forestry, Rural transformation, Industry and Labour – Renato Gumbs, Deputy Chief Agricultural Officer and Technical Focal Point – Colville King and Internin Project Manager – Roxanne John.
During remarks, Minister Caesar urged farmers to stand united in finding solutions to climate change, advocating for regular meetings to address pressing issues.
MP St Clair Prince highlighted the crucial role of farmers and expressed his hope that the equipment would be used to advance agricultural practices in the area. Meanwhile, Interim Project Manager, noted that procurement takes time and urged farmers to remain patient as the additional items for distribution are on their way. Distribution and Consultation will continue on:
August 15 – Colanaire Secondary School (North and South Central Windward)
August 16 – Penniston Playing Field (South and Central Leeward)
August 19 – Cumberland Playing Field (North Leeward)
August 20 – Green Hill Hardcourt (East, West, and Central Kingstown)
The UBEC CERC “SVG Food Insecurity Project” is funded at US$10 million through the regional programme Unleashing the Blue Economy of the Caribbean (UBEC), under its Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC).
The project aims to mitigate the negative impacts on Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ agricultural and fisheries sectors caused by the April 2021 volcanic eruptions, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, climate change, tropical storms, and droughts.
The Project Aims To:
Increase food production and availability to residents and the growing visitor population
Improve economic and physical access to food for vulnerable groups
Enhance productivity, resilience, and sustainability of the SVG production system
Improve the quality and competitiveness of fish, fruits, and vegetables through targeted food safety investments
Project Components:
Component 1 – Crop Production: Building production capacity to increase the supply of fresh fruits and vegetables.
Component 2 – Livestock Production: Increasing the supply of animal protein through investments aimed at boosting productivity and reducing days-to-market.
Component 3 – Fish Production: Expanding the capacity of fisherfolk to harvest in deeper waters, indirectly reducing the strain on near-shore resources.
Component 4 – Project Management: Ensuring effective implementation, monitoring of activities, and evaluation of the project.
The SVG Food Insecurity Project is being implemented by the Economic Planning Division (Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Information Technology) in collaboration with theMinistry of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labour.