St Kitts Farmers Co-op receives funding from C.I.D.A
By Joyette Mills-Ward
Business Reporter-SKNVibes.com
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Arabella Nisbett - President of St. Kitts Farmers Cooperative Society Ltd receives funding check from Augustine Merchant Director of I.I.C.A
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BASSETERRE, St. Kitts- Members of the St. Kitts Farmers Co-operative Society Ltd. received much-needed funding from the Canadian International Development Agency (CIDA) and the farmers agree that the financing will assist greatly towards improving their overall marketing abilities.
Augustine Merchant, the Director of the St. Kitts Inter-American Institute of Cooperation for Agriculture (I.I.C.A) handed the EC $49,000 cheque over to Arabella Nisbett, President of the St. Kitts Farmers Co-operative Society Ltd. during a ceremony held Tuesday at the Department of Agriculture at LaGuerite, Basseterre.
Merchant expounded on the project proposal, saying it was the culmination of efforts by the Cooperatives Department, the Department of Agriculture, the farmers and the I.I.C.A.
“The first component involves the food preservation aspect and will provide for a walk-in chiller approximately 10 by 15 feet to store fresh produce. Most of us would be aware that food spoils very quickly if it is not being looked after and the walk-in chiller would address the maintenance of post-harvest conditions of the food,” he said.
The second component, Merchant stated, would address the marketing or presentation factor and will procure about 100,000 labels for boxes, another 60,000 labels to put on fruits and 700 boxes which will be used to deliver produce to the hotels and other clientele. ~~Adz:Right~~
The collective brand name chosen by the Farmers Cooperative is “Kittitian Pride” which Merchant said would clearly identify that the food being purchased was grown locally and also enhance the appearance of the finished products.
The third component will deal with training which is intended to bring the farmers to a higher level operationally and will “introduce post harvest technology, group dynamics and business management,” explained Merchant.
The IICA Director noted that all the components were prerequisite to ensuring the success of the farmers’ efforts and that the project was not just to provide infrastructure but to develop the capacities of the farmers.
Nisbett signed an agreement to adhere to the conditions of the funding and thanked the membership of the Farmers Co-operative for their support leading up to the event.
“I want to encourage you to view this funding as just a start to better days to come. Farmers are the true providers of the nation. Let us move forward together; together we can strive; together we can live.”
