Women in rural agriculture groups get grant funds from The Netherlands

The government of the Netherlands has provided a grant to women in agriculture from six rural communities under a project to help improve their livelihoods.

The grant funding, amounting to EU10,000 (EC$30,000), was presented to the organisation ‘Women in Agriculture for Rural Development’ (WARD), at the office of the Honorary Consul of St Vincent and the Grenadines to The Netherlands, Camille Crichton on Monday, January 24.

It will finance a programme to conduct training and purchase materials for the sustainability of the project, and to help women of WARD develop themselves for growth and sustainability.

Crichton said “We believe in teaching people to fish, rather than giving them a fish. Therefore this project was selected to help single parents and underprivileged women to take care of their children”.

The programme is targeting women agricultural groups in New Grounds, Diamonds, Lowmans, Chapmans, Sans Souci, and Georgetown.

According to Crichton, “The Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands prides itself on placing a strong emphasis on human rights in the Kingdom and world-wide. We employ a wide array of actions and initiatives to strengthen human rights, specifically towards women and children’s rights.”

Vice-president of WARD, Mary Jackson, told the gathering that Crichton “Was very much involved in helping us get this grant. We know that these are difficult times and we do need help so I pray that this grant of ten thousand Euros will go a long way for purchasing seeds for the farmers in the group”.

Jackson added: “We know that women play a very important part in our country today especially in the upbringing of our children as a single parent, battered women, and women who have been abused and have to be on their own struggling for themselves. So this money will go a very long way”.

St. Vincent and the Grenadines enjoys over 40 years of diplomatic relations with the Kingdom of the Netherlands. In this regard, Foreign Service Officer in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Emil Dougan said, “It is indeed a great opportunity to see a partnership that can strengthen the capacity of women in agriculture in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.”

Dougan pointed out that the Food and Agriculture Organisation data, shows that women comprise over 43-percent of the agricultural workforce globally.

“Given that a contribution would be made this morning to women in agriculture in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, this is indeed a great occasion,” said Dougan.

He went on to commend the work of Crichton “for putting together such an important initiative. To partner with the women agricultural groups in Diamonds, and in Georgetown.

“ I trust and hope that the resources that would be given would be utilised in a way that would yield the maximum results.”