The Ministry of Agriculture is hosting Community consultations across Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, as the Government begins the implementation of the SVG Food Insecurity Project 2023, which is funded by the World Bank.
From June 21 – 28, 2023, the community consultations will be held in fifteen (15) communities on the Leeward, Windward and Central regions of mainland St. Vincent, as well as in the Northern and Southern Grenadines.
The Ministry says the meetings will sensitize stakeholders about the opportunities and benefits of the project, facilitate stakeholder feedback, and demonstrate the procedures for application and beneficiary selection.
On June 21, meetings will take place in Sandy Bay, Georgetown, Troumaca and Chateaubelair; on June 22, meetings will take place in North Union, Greiggs / Lauders, Questelles and Barrouallie; on June 26, meetings will take place in Mesopotamia, Calliaqua and Bequia; on June 27, meetings will take place in Kingstown, Belair and Biabou; and the final meeting will take place on June 28 in Union Island.
At a sum of ten million US dollars, the SVG Food Insecurity Project is funded through the overarching regional program unleashing the Blue Economy of the Caribbean (UBEC), under its Contingent Emergency Response Component (CERC).
The Project aims to mitigate the negative impacts on SVG’s agricultural and fisheries sectors, which have been caused over the years by the April 2021 volcanic eruptions, the COVID-19 pandemic, the Russia-Ukraine war, climate change, tropical storms and droughts.
The Project’s objectives include: increasing food production and availability to residents and a growing visitor population; improving economic and physical access to food by vulnerable groups; improving productivity, resilience and sustainability of the SVG production system; and improving the quality and competitiveness of fish, fruits and vegetables through targeted food safety investments.
The four (4) components of this Project are:
- Component 1 – Crop Production (building production capacity to increase the supply of fresh fruits and vegetables)
- Component 2 – Livestock Production (to increase the supply of animal protein through investments that will increase productivity/production and reduce days-to-market)
- Component 3 – Fish Production (to expand the capacity of fisherfolk, through investments, to harvest in deeper waters – indirectly reducing the strain on near-shore resources)
- Component 4 – Project Management (to ensure effective implementation, monitoring of activities and evaluation of the project)
The SVG Food Insecurity Project is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labour and the Economic Planning Division (Ministry of Finance, Economic Planning and Information Technology), with assistance from the Ministry of Tourism, Civil Aviation, Sustainable Development and Culture.
Photo credit: Ministry of Agriculture
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