Kingstown St. Vincent May 20, 2026-Fiona Huei-Chun Fan has announced a US$2.5 million investment by Taiwan to support a new young farmers initiative in St Vincent and the Grenadines, describing agriculture as central to the country’s future resilience and food security.
Speaking at the launch of the Young Farmer Training Programme and Midterm Showcase, Ambassador Fan said the three-year initiative would introduce modern farming technologies while helping train a new generation of agricultural entrepreneurs.
“Agriculture remains essential to food security and national resilience,” she said. “Yet agriculture today is no longer driven only by traditional practices.”
The ambassador said the programme would focus on science, innovation and technology, including vertical farming systems and Internet-of-thing (IoT-based) environmental controls designed to modernise crop production.
According to Ambassador Fan, 75 young farmers are expected to benefit from the initiative, with the first cohort of 15 participants beginning an intensive five-month training programme supported by stipends.
Outstanding participants will also receive entrepreneurship coaching and partial start-up funding to help establish agricultural businesses.
The programme is being implemented through the Taiwan Technical Mission, which Ambassador Fan said has operated in St Vincent and the Grenadines for 43 years.
She highlighted the role of the Orange Hill Biotechnology Centre, describing it as “a gem” of the country’s agricultural sector.
The facility supports seedling production, tissue culture, demonstration farming, composting, post-harvest handling and smart agriculture systems.
“This centre represents a shared vision, friendship and long-term commitment of our nations,” she said.