Over the past year, the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, and Labour’s Farm Labour Support Programme (FLSP) has caused a significant improvement in crop production, as productivity in diverse sectors has been recognized.
This was confirmed by Hon. Saboto Caesar, Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry, and Labour, during a news briefing on October 19th at the Ministry of Agriculture conference room.
The program is supported by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, with the St. Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) Red Cross serving as the fund’s budget holder.
According to Minister Caesar, the initiative employs over 100 people who work in various teams across the country.
Meanwhile, the agricultural Minister emphasized the necessity of having different streams of production to maintain food security, as he announced the launch of a backyard agricultural initiative as the program’s last stage.
Caesar stated that the Farm Labor Support Program was evaluated one month ago. He stated that individuals participated in the assessment were given a link to join in a backyard agriculture pilot program. The Agriculture Minister stated that participants in the pilot program will be given seeds from the Agricultural Input Warehouse, and that by mobilizing resources, a formal agricultural supply chain will be established.
Minister Caesar stated that the next phase will have a good influence on livelihoods in St. Vincent and the Grenadines since it will coincide with a national backyard gardening project set to begin in January 2024. Minister Caesar also took use of the occasion to thank the SVG Red Cross and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints for collaborating with the Ministry of Agriculture to assist farmers.
Opreth Sutherland, spokesperson for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, expressed delight about the Church’s engagement in the effort and its advantages to farmers during a press conference on Thursday. According to Sutherland, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is still dedicated and ready to assist the government and people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
Alston Anderson, President of the SVG Red Cross, expressed his delight at the united effort to assist farmers in reclaiming their livelihoods. The SVG Red Cross President also lauded Minister Saboto Caesar’s leadership for ensuring the program’s success thus far.
