35m EUROS for agriculture sectors in Dominica, St Lucia and SVG

The Delegation of the European Union in Barbados and Eastern Caribbean met with its key partners in the region to exchange views regarding the finalization of multi-annual support programmes that will benefit the agricultural sectors in Dominica, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines earlier this week.{{more}}

Wednesday’s meeting was the culmination of months of intensive collaborative work, bringing together representatives of the beneficiary governments, their key agencies, farmers’ organizations, private sector and donor agencies.

A release from the Delegation of the European Union to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean said this grant aid package is part of the new European Union “Banana Accompanying Measures” financial instrument to support a sustainable economic adaptation process in banana producing countries belonging to the African-Caribbean-Pacific (ACP) group.

The overall amount of grant aid to the three Windward Islands amounts to EUR 35 million, namely Dominica EUR 15,27 million, Saint Lucia EUR 10,35 million and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines EUR 9,93 million). Since 1994, the EU has provided more than EUR 450 million to the ACP banana-exporting countries to help them produce bananas more competitively, or to diversify their economies into other areas, the release said.

The European Union’s support shall assist the three countries in their efforts to revitalize the agricultural sectors by improving their productivity, competitiveness, diversification and food security. Employment opportunities for the youth in the agri-business sector, as well as improved living standards for small holder farmers shall be at the heart of the proposed programmes.

“The current challenges in a globalised market for agricultural produce are formidable; but there is potential and opportunities for the agricultural sector to again play an important role in the economies of the Windward Islands. There is also the need for active public private partnerships and structured regional cooperation to achieve efficiency gains in the agricultural sector,s” said Zissimos Vergos, Counsellor, Head of Social Development Section at the Delegation of the European Union to Barbados and the Eastern Caribbean.

He also added that the meeting was a joint effort by the governments of Dominica, St Lucia and St Vincent and the Grenadines and the Delegation of the European Union. The meeting will ensure that key partners are consulted and coordination mechanisms are established, in order to avoid overlap of various programmes at national and regional level. “Our discussions today open avenues for forging closer partnerships in supporting the agricultural sector in the Eastern Caribbean at large”.