Egg production in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is set to experience a significant boost following the distribution of nesting boxes to twenty selected poultry farmers at the Dumbarton Agricultural Station.
The distribution marked the culmination of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB)-funded “Food Safety Certification System for Livestock Production and Trade” pilot project on Wednesday, August 26, 2026. The overarching objective of the initiative is to modernize the local poultry industry and upgrade food safety standards across the sector.
According to Garfield Bowman, Lead of the project, the newly distributed nest boxes will enable local egg producers to supply higher quality eggs to the marketplace with a guaranteed longer shelf life. To further enhance economic sustainability, Colville King, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Rural Transformation, encouraged the recipients to join the Poultry Producers’ Association. He highlighted that purchasing farm inputs in bulk through the association could significantly reduce overall production costs for farmers.
Addressing compliance and health standards, Chief Veterinary Officer Dr. Kathian Hackshaw assured farmers that the Animal Health and Production Division will continue working closely with recipients. This ongoing guidance aims to ensure full compliance with biosecurity requirements so farms can consistently produce safe eggs for consumer consumption. Several participating producers expressed deep gratitude for receiving the equipment.
Ultimately, the pilot project will establish a functional, farm-level food safety certification framework and introduce systematic foodborne disease pathogen testing protocols on participating farms to maintain product integrity and consumer safety.
