<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Farmers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines\nnow have the alternative to grow fully organic crops with the opening of a\nCompost Facility at the Orange Hill Biotechnology Centre. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Compost Facility is a joint\ncollaboration between the Governments of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and St.\nVincent and the Grenadines and is part of a larger project entitled \u201cStrengthening Farmer’s\nOrganization and Improving Fruit and Vegetable Production Technology in St.\nVincent and the Grenadines\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The\nProject includes the establishment of eight Farmers\u2019 Cooperatives which produce\nvarious agricultural commodities; training of Farmers and Extension Officers to\nstrengthen their capacity to aid in the improved management of cooperative\norganizations; soil sample collection; analysis and fertilizer recommendations;\nthe procurement of equipment; and the outfitting of the Probiotics\nLaboratory. With regards to the Compost\nFacility, construction costs amounted to EC $1.5 million. It is equipped with three bio-digesters, a\nsteam sterilizing machine, and other inputs for vegetable seedling\nproduction. The Project was executed\nover a 4 year period at a cost of EC $7, 273, 832.00. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Addressing the handing over ceremony\nof the facility to the Ministry of Agriculture, Senior Agricultural Officer\nwith responsibility for Extension and Advisory Services, Marcus Richards,\ndescribed the Compost Facility as another fruit of the excellent\ncollaboration between the Governments of the Republic of China\n(Taiwan) and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Chief\nAgricultural Officer, Ashley Cain, said this country\u2019s agricultural sector is better and\nstronger\nbecause of Taiwan\u2019s assistance. Cain\nexpressed gratitude to the Government of Taiwan for its assistance and advised\nall stakeholders to make use of the support from \u201cour friends\u201d. According to Cain, agriculture in St. Vincent\nand the Grenadines has great potential and he commended Minister Caesar\u2019s\nleadership adding that with his “leadership we can go far\u201d. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Chief Agricultural Officer shared a concern that he has where older\nfolks are leaving the agricultural industry at a higher rate than it is being\nreplenished by younger folks. Cain noted\nthat this can present a challenge in the near future and stressed the need to\nengage youths. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Ambassador of the Republic\nof China (Taiwan) to St. Vincent and the Grenadines, H.E. Calvin Ho, said he is\npleased that his Government was able to collaborate with St. Vincent and the\nGrenadines on yet another project. \nAmbassador Ho stated that the two\nGovernments have worked closely together on agriculture over the years.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The Ambassador\ndisclosed that with the new equipment, 552 soil sample tests have been\nconducted and 6 metric tonnes of bio-fuel produced. The project also covered training for eight\nAgriculture Officers in Taiwan under the International Cooperation and\nDevelopment Fund (IDCF). Ambassador Ho\nsaid more projects will be carried out in the future and they will continue to\nwork with the Ministry of Agriculture to make St. Vincent and the Grenadines\none of the best agricultural nations in the region. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Saboto\nCaesar, thanked the Government and People of Taiwan for their contribution to\nthe Government and People of St. Vincent and the Grenadines. According to Minister Caesar, when the\nagricultural history is written in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Taiwan will\nbe featured prominently. <\/p>\n\n\n\n
Minister\nCaesar used the opportunity to highlight health risks associated with chemicals\nused in the agricultural sector. He said\nthe ultimate goal is not only to ensure that Vincentians have a constant food\nsupply but that the foods consumed are safe. \nIn light of this, Minister Caesar disclosed that his ministry will be\ntaking serious steps to curtail the importation of foods with high pesticide\ncontents. He noted that heightened surveillance of\nimported commodities\nwill be introduced in the first quarter of 2019.
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Farmers in St. Vincent and the Grenadines now have the alternative to grow fully organic crops with the opening of a Compost Facility at the Orange Hill Biotechnology Centre. The Compost Facility is a joint collaboration between the Governments of the Republic of China (Taiwan) and St. Vincent and the Grenadines and is part of<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":8,"featured_media":2201,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_newsletter_access":"","_jetpack_dont_email_post_to_subs":false,"_jetpack_newsletter_tier_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paywalled_content":false,"_jetpack_feature_clip_id":0,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_post_was_ever_published":false},"categories":[5,2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-2200","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-local-news","category-news"],"yoast_head":"\n