BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – THE Department of Agriculture has been putting the final touches on its preparation to host its annual Agriculture Open Day at the Department's grounds in La Guerite today (Apr. 24) and tomorrow.
Being held under the theme ‘Agriculture: Moving in the Right Direction’, this event would see the participation of several farmers’ cooperatives, banking institutions and partnership with the Ministry of Health.
Speaking with SKNVibes Business yesterday (Apr. 23), Chairperson Ian Chapman said that the event would see the Ministry of Health and its dieticians explaining healthy tips about utilizing homegrown produces and what should be one’s diet.
He noted that food security is also one of the main topic areas that the Department would be highlighting during the two-day event.
“We would continue to build the awareness of eating healthy and eating local…continue the push for food security. Food security is always one of our themes. We are working in collaboration with the Ministry of Health, who would outline eating the correct proportion of food and the correct types of food which come in various forms.’
Chapman added that for 2014 there would be several cooperatives in attendance, which would be showcasing produce from farmers who would have registered under them.
“You would have three farmers’ cooperatives. They are the St. Kitts Farmers Cooperative, Liamuiga Farmers Cooperative and the Sandy Point Agriculture Farmers Society, and at least four other local farmers would be on hand,” Chapman explained.
A critical area the Department is hoping to address with farmers is that of pests, which generally affect them. Chapman stated that he hopes the pests would be off the farms and out of St. Kitts after the two-day event would have been completed.
He noted this would help to decrease the damage effect that the insects would have on the agriculture landscape in the Federation.
