By S.Browne. Updated 1:21 p.m., Monday, September 22, 2025, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
St. Vincent and the Grenadines has received a range of professional equipment and agricultural resources from the Government of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to strengthen the nation’s agricultural sector.
The equipment, which included four chilling rooms, four washing and grading machines, four chamber vacuum sealers, and two tractors, was handed over to the Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labour, Saboto Caesar, by Ambassador Fiona Huei-Chun Fan at a formal ceremony on the North Union Secondary School hardcourt on September 18, 2025.
These machines form part of a larger initiative titled “Improving Vegetable Cultivation Management and Post-Harvest Handling Project”, launched shortly after Ambassador Fan assumed her duties two years ago. The project aims to introduce modern solutions and enhance efficiency through Taiwan’s agricultural expertise. The equipment will be installed at agricultural centres in Orange Hill, La Croix, Langley Park, and Lauders.
By upgrading facilities, advancing machinery, and providing specialised training, the initiative seeks to enhance Saint Vincent and the Grenadines’ post-harvest handling capacity, ensuring higher quality and a more consistent supply of key crops such as cabbage, tomatoes, sweet peppers, and cucumbers.
In addition to this contribution, the Ministry of Agriculture and the Taiwan Technical Mission have conducted nine training workshops and eleven field demonstrations, equipping hundreds of farmers with practical skills in cultivation, packaging, and post-harvest handling. Farmers also received training on the operation and maintenance of the new equipment to ensure long-term sustainability.
The next stage of the collaboration will focus on the Young Farmers’ Training Project, which will introduce 75 young farmers to advanced smart-agriculture techniques, including IoT solutions, plant factories, greenhouses, and vertical cultivation.
During the ceremony, farmers expressed sincere appreciation to Ambassador Fan for Taiwan’s steadfast support and dedication. Ambassador Fan encouraged young agricultural enthusiasts to seize the opportunity to participate in this transformation and contribute to building a sustainable and thriving society.
Minister Saboto Caesar thanked Taiwan for its long-standing support and highlighted his vision for advancing agricultural development, emphasising strengthening food security, boosting local production, and improving livelihoods across Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. He expressed hope that the nation’s agriculture will thrive, building greater resilience, establishing sustainable market mechanisms, and creating an enabling environment for young farmers.
Chief Kevin Lin of the Taiwan Technical Mission also extended heartfelt thanks to the Ministry of Agriculture, the Taiwan International Cooperation and Development Fund (TaiwanICDF), the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), the World Bank, and the World Vegetable Centre for their dedication and hard work.
Together, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines and Taiwan hope to lay the foundation for a healthier, happier, and more prosperous future for both countries.
The information was sourced from a press release sent to us by the Embassy of the Republic of China (Taiwan) in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
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