Young farmers targeted in joint Ministry of Agriculture and Taiwan Project

The Ministry of Agriculture has launched a project designed to address challenges due to the aging farming population while resuscitating the agricultural sector that was devastated by Hurricane Beryl on July 1, 2024.

The project dubbed, “The Agriculture Productivity Recovery and Youth Farmers Training Project” is a collaboration between the Ministry of Agriculture of St Vincent and the Grenadines (SVG) and the Republic of China on Taiwan.

Speaking at the launch of the EC$3.136 million project last Thursday, March 13,2025 at the Taiwan Embassy on Murray’s Road, Agriculture Diversification Officer within the Ministry of Agriculture, Rohan McDonald said the project is estimated to run for two years, 2025-2027.

He said among the objectives is to fully transform, establish and utilize the existing agricultural production facilities at the Orange Hill Biotechnology Centre to facilitate comprehensive training for farmers, with special emphasis on young farmers.

“… and we hope by doing this, to enhance agriculture education training capabilities by introducing Taiwan’s comparative strength in Smart Agriculture, such as vertical farming, water saving, cultivation technologies, advanced environmental control equipment and facilities and teaching methods.” McDonald added that the project will also assist the Ministry of Agriculture in building competency among its extension officers and looking at such other areas as how to effectively produce under greenhouse conditions.

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