The Eastern Caribbean Trading Agriculture and Development Organisation (ECTAD), through the collaboration of the Ministry of Agriculture and other stakeholders within the Agriculture Sector of St. Vincent and the Grenadines, will be conducting a Study Visit on “Smallholders Crop Production and Marketing” from February 16th – 20th, 2009, in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, at the Methodist Church Hall.{{more}}

The Study Visit is funded by the Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation (CTA-ACP-EU) and will bring together over 20 representatives from farmers’ organisations across twelve Caribbean islands.

According to ECTAD Chief Coordinator, Jethro Greene, “The Study Visit will give participants a firsthand view of the challenges and successes ECTAD and other stakeholders have experienced in their quest to improve productivity, efficiency, wealth and the quality of life for rural farm families in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, through its capacity building, production and marketing efforts. It will also focus on issues of success and challenges faced in agriculture throughout the Caribbean”.

During the visit, participants will be taken on numerous field visits of farms and agriculture stations on the Windward and Leeward side of the Island. They will also share their experiences, success stories and challenges from their own organisation and country.

The official opening ceremony is scheduled to take place at the Methodist Church Hall on Monday, February 16, 2009, starting at 7:00 p.m. It will feature addresses from the Minister of Agriculture Montgomery Daniel; Programme Coordinator of CTA, Dr. John Woodend; Chief Coordinator of ECTAD Jethro Greene; and, possibly, the President of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Chamber of Industry and Commerce, Angus Steele.