The St. Vincent and the Grenadines Conservation Fund’s Farmland Restoration Project in North Leeward closed its first phase of year-long activities with a “Project Achievement” event on May 22nd at the Cumberland Recreational Facility.
The project was implemented by local civil society organisation Hand2Earth and focused on soil regeneration and erosion prevention in farmlands.
The project farmers, graduates of the project’s Vetiver Systems Technology training program conducted in June-August 2022, were praised for their continued participation in project activities over a year-long period and presented with locally produced natural pesticides and fertilisers, spray cans and a laminated aerial photograph of their farmlands.
The project farmers cultivate among remains of historical vetiver contour plantings that were established almost one hundred years ago during their great grandparents generation. Although abandoned in the 1960s, contour farming with vetiver is now recognised globally as providing the most effective intervention for soil regeneration, erosion and natural hazard management.