Grenada Today - The National Newspaper of Grenada, Carriacou & Petite Martinique

Grenada's ruling New National Party (NNP) government of Prime Minister Dr. Keith Mitchell has announced a package of 31 million dollars for the island's ailing agriculture sector. The allocation was announced by Finance Minister, Anthony Boatswain during his recent presentation to Parliament of the 2006 budget.

The senior government minister made the following remarks on the key agriculture sector to the House of Representatives: We are all aware of the decimation of the Agriculture Sector by Hurricane Ivan in 2004 and the further damages done by Hurricane Emily in July of 2005. The destruction has resulted in untold hardships and suffering to our farmers and their dependents. Government intends to fully revitalize this very important Sector.

The Emergency Agricultural Rehabilitation programme which was implemented in 2004 was the first step in the process of revitalization of this sector. However, more assistance is needed. In this regard, an allocation of EC$31.0 million has been made in the 2006 Estimates to fund various projects in the Agricultural Sector.

One of the projects to be implemented in 2006 is the Agriculture Enterprise Development Programme. The Budget has allocated EC$11 million to this project, which seeks to turn the Agriculture Sector into a business through the provision of soft loans and inputs to farmers with the establishment of an Agricultural Loan Scheme and a Fertilizer Revolving Fund Programme. An Agricultural Enterprise Development Task Force will also be formed to coordinate the support facilities of the project as well as to assist in the preparation of farms, business plans and credit proposals.

This will be financed in part, from proceeds of the National Reconstruction Levy. I am also pleased to announce that Government has been successful in securing a soft loan in the amount of US$15 million (EC$40.5 million) from the Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Corporation (US$10 million) and the OPEC Fund (US$5 million) for the financing of thirty four (34) farm roads totaling 39 miles throughout the Country. Farmers in every parish in the Country will benefit from this project which seeks to allow farmers to have easier access to their farms.

For example, in St. Andrew's, ten (10) roads totaling 9.4 miles will be rehabilitated; in St. John's eight (8) roads will be rehabilitated at a total length of 12.92 miles; in St. Patrick's six roads at a total length of 4.74 miles, four roads each for St. John's and St. George's at a total length of 8.92 miles and two road for St. Mark's at a total length of 2.3 miles. Under the Agricultural Recovery Programme Government will continue to refurbish the Propagation Station and to provide assistance to the Banana Resuscitation Programme, and to the Grenada Cocoa and Nutmeg Associations.

I also want to formally recognize and applaud the GCNA (Grenada Co-operative Nutmeg Association) for its selfless efforts in contributing to the revitalization of the important nutmeg industry by providing seedlings and plants to farmers, thus complementing the efforts of Government. It is collaborative initiatives like these that will see our economy rebounding in the near future. Government will also continue to provide support to ongoing programmes such as food security, irrigation and fertilizer schemes, the preadial larceny programme, concessions on farm vehicles and the 4H movement.

There is no doubt that the Ministry will have to strengthen its capacity to fulfill these tasks in 2006. In this regard, through assistance from the European Union, an expert will be recruited to provide technical assistance to the Ministry in areas of agricultural policy, project cycle management and strategic planning. As part of this process of institutional strengthening of the Ministry, extension officers will receive training in developing agricultural business plans and farming systems among others so that there can be an improvement in the nature and quality of service provided to farmers.

Our efforts at the revitalization of the agricultural sector will also focus on continuing our support to the fisheries sub-sector. In 2005, just over EC$1.0 million was spent on the provision of material and financial assistance to fishermen for the rehabilitation of boats, purchase of engines fishing gear and safety equipment. In August of last year the Fisheries Division deployed Fish Aggregating Devices at Grenville which resulted in an increase of over 100,000 pounds of Yellow Fin Tuna, Dolphin and Blue Marlin being caught in the last quarter of the year. In 2006, priority will be given to upgrading a number of fish markets.

Training will be provided to fishermen in leadership, business and financial management. Additionally, work will be undertaken to assist fishermen to participate in a social security programme. We are all aware of the destruction done to our forests and its implication for our water supply. In 2006, with assistance from UNEP we will embark on a watershed management project and we will continue our efforts at the conservation of our dry forest through effective forest management.