BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – MINISTER OF AGRICULTURE Hon. Eugene Hamilton has declared that the Federation’s graduation on the international stage economically has an adverse impact on the local farming community.
This comes as international donors that have been generous to the Federation in the past are claiming that St. Kitts has become a graduated state and they have not been providing the same level of resources as before, according to Hamilton.
Speaking with SKNVibes recently, the Minister said that the donors “fail[ed] or are reluctant to provide us with the resources to help us develop our agriculture”.
That sector has been hard hit in recent times by changing climatic conditions, as the Federation was faced with drought-like conditions that saw large scale water rationing on St. Kitts over the past two and a half years.
The drought-like conditions had also seen large quantities of various crops perishing during that period.
Like many of the other islands in the region, the St. Kitts and Nevis’ rainy season was met with below average rainfall or none at all.
Minister Hamilton noted that it was not only the agriculture sector that faced the hit in resources, but all other sectors.
He disclosed that it was only recently he had asked his technical officers, especially those in the Environmental Department, who might have access to climate change funding, if they could do the same for agriculture.
Hamilton charged them with the responsibility of developing a plan for the harvesting, storing and distribution of water, specifically for agricultural purposes.
“I will trust that the technical expertise will advise that it is possible to develop a system around the entire country that would support people who are planting food. And we can support them from that system, independent from our domestic water systems,” Hamilton explained.
The Minister noted that when it comes to financing, regional governments could not properly fund the development of the various sub-sectors of agriculture.
“None of us,” he said. “We are too small and we are unable to properly finance the needs of all of the people, including the various sectors of society.”
Hamilton pointed out that because resources are scarce fully financing agriculture continues to be a challenge.
