By Desrine McTair. Updated 6:30 p.m., Tuesday, June 18, 2023, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) was signed between the Government and people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and St. Lucia with the goal of providing a framework where the
Government and people of St. Vincent and the Grenadines will offer assistance to St. Lucia in the livestock sector, while this country will receive assistance from St. Lucia in Sea Moss production.
According to a press release (July 17), the signing ceremony was done at the conclusion of the 22nd Eastern Caribbean Ministerial Meeting on Fisheries and Sustainable use of Living Marine Resources at the Beachcombers Hotel Conference Room in Villa, St. Vincent and the Grenadines on July 14, 2023.
Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labour, Saboto
Caesar stated that the MOU signals a bilateral cooperation which seeks to identify specific areas of partnership in an effort to have a more detailed approach going forward, the press release stated.
Minister Caesar said “throughout our history we have had a consolidated marketing platform and we have merged several production platforms.”
Additionally, St. Vincent and the Grenadines has been identified as an excellent producer of root crops in the Southern Caribbean and will be providing Germplasm material to the Government and People of St. Lucia.” The agriculture minister said.
Elated and hopeful with the signing of the MOU, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development for St. Lucia, Alfred Prospere commented on their rapidly growing banana and Sea Moss sectors, the press release stated.
Prospere revealed that Over 400 persons are engaged in Sea Moss production with more than 65 exporters of Sea Moss, .
The St. Lucia Agriculture Minister noted that St. Vincent and the Grenadines’ strength is within the Medicinal Cannabis Industry and revealed that St. Lucia is now moving forward within this avenue of herbal care. Prospere added that St. Lucia is relying on St. Vincent in this collaborative effort to assist in developing this area through the provision of expertise, the press release stated.
“Now is the time for small OECS countries to come together under one umbrella and to be able to achieve our set goals and target in Agriculture.” Prospere said.
St. Vincent and the Grenadines recently signed an MOU with the Government and people of
Grenada on Agricultural Cooperation. FAST Strategy to be Implemented Soon…
Minister of Agriculture, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Saboto Caesar also announced the
introduction of the OECS Food and Agriculture Systems Transformation (FAST) strategy to be
implemented within the OECS at the 22nd Eastern Caribbean Ministerial Meeting on Fisheries and Sustainable use of Living Marine Resources at the Beachcombers Hotel Conference Room in Villa.
This platform will facilitate the dissemination of information to the Centre in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, with the mission of ensuring Food Security and Food Sovereignty in the Sub-Region, the press release further stated.
According to the press release, Minister Caesar revealed his vision of having a home-grown company within the OECS with recognized expertise and the mobilization of the factors of production, while embracing the hard work and efforts of the youth, who present new trends within the technological and marketing sphere. Minister Caeser indicated that this system is a consolidated approach among member states in maximizing economies of scale.
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