Mayreau gets soil and water conservation project

Mayreau will be among the islands to benefit from a project that is geared at strengthening the management of water and soil resources for the sustainability of agri-food systems of seven Caribbean countries.

Under the overall project, which was launched on May 18 , the sum of EUR 8,000 is allocated for the Mayreau water shed project.

The project which is being funded through the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ), is implemented through the Ministry of Agriculture of Argentina.

Focal point for the Mayreau water shed project Karomo Browne, said the project concept involves the construction of a shed in Mayreau for water harvesting, and the installation of tanks for water storage. He pointed out that a project of this nature is critical as Mayreau is a very dry island that has limited ability to retain moisture.

Browne pointed out that the people on Mayreau are dependent on the importation of food, and the Ministry of Agriculture aims to promote local production and consumption of vegetables on the island.

Chief Agricultural Officer, Renato Gumbs, said the project is very important and noted that the establishment of the project on Mayreau would be a good base for collection of data for the performance of crops. He is hoping that the collection of data and the application of the technical skills in the project will help the ministry make recommendations for a broader project.

Gumbs said over the years farmers have overlooked the importance of soils in agriculture planning, but he is encouraging them to take advantage of the dry spells because productivity is expected to be higher in dry spells, as there are fewer incidences of disease and more sunlight around this period. Representative from Argentina’s Ministry of Agriculture Maria Cornelli, said the objective of the project is to develop participatory planning strategies and technology for the management of water and soil resources in order to contribute to the sustainability of agriculture in the region. (API)