Agro Director rolls out big plans for upcoming Agricultural Exhibition
Staff Reporter-SKNVibes.com
BASSETERRE, ST. KITTS- ‘Agriculture! 25 years of production; Agriculture! Food basket for national sustainability’ is the theme chosen for this year’s Agricultural Exhibition slated for 12th-14th of September.
Though months away, Dr. Jerome Thomas, Director at the Department of Agriculture, told SKNVibes.com that his department was preparing for the event in a big way, and that several smaller events have been scheduled throughout this summer to give Kittitians and Nevisians a taste of the main event.
“First, I should say that we held a competition and we are proud to say that Sheila Harris of St. Peters was chosen as the winner for her submission,” he said. “Many of the specific events scheduled for the Agriculture Exhibition are still in various stages of production and cannot be revealed, but I can say that the event will be done on a large scale and scope this year.”
The Director explained that the exhibits will cover different ‘zones’ of agriculture, such as livestock, fisheries, crop production, furniture, schools, etc., and they will be spread out across several large areas in Warner Park. This, he said, will include the western cricket mounds, the football stadium, Carnival Village and the players’ dining room.
“We are even planning to have a large exhibit showing various linkages between tourism and agriculture. The exhibition will generally stand out from previous years’ because the Department of Agriculture will be showing our production and range are expanding in St. Kitts,” said Thomas. ~~Adz:Right~~
While he could not reveal any details about the evening shows being planned for the Exhibition, Thomas did say that they will be an “exciting and interesting” addition to the exhibits that he hopes will inject entertainment for the whole family.
Those with an interest in agriculture do not have to wait until September to indulge their inner famer, however, as the Department of Agriculture has events planned for as early as next week.
“This coming Monday (May 19th) we will be working in collaboration with the Taiwanese to have a display of locally grown orchids. It will be a free event held at LaGuerite from 9am-5pm,” Thomas revealed. “We will also be holding the St. Kitts Food Festival on May 30th in Independence Square from 11am-2pm. That event will also be free to enter, but patrons must purchase tickets to sample the foods on display.”
Thomas said that his department has a Nevis Fruit Festival in its plans for June and a St. Kitts Seafood Festival scheduled for July, amongst other things. No ticketing information for these events or the Agricultural Exhibition was available at the time of the interview.
