NIA CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS (March 31, 2026) - Minister of Agriculture and Deputy Premier, the Honourable Eric Evelyn, says food security efforts on Nevis have received a significant boost following the official handover of a 30,000-gallon water storage tank to the New River Farmers Cooperative, along with a shade house and a dry storage facility at the Prospect Agricultural Station.
The contributions form part of a project led by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN), the Global Environment Facility (GEF), and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP), aimed at strengthening environmental management through sustainable land management in St. Kitts and Nevis.
At a recent handover ceremony, President of the New River Farmers Association, Merla Isles, expressed gratitude to the donor agencies for their support, noting the critical importance of water access to farming.
“As the climate changes and rainfall becomes less reliable it is critical that we utilize all available water sources to improve water availability for farmers’ plots...This will directly contribute to increased production and sustainable livelihoods in our communities. On behalf of the New River Farmers Corporative I want to extend our deep appreciation for the holding tank. It is now our responsibility to maintain it in partnership with the Agriculture Department, ensuring that these resources continue to serve us well.”
The project also focuses on integrating biodiversity conservation, sustainable land management, and climate-smart agriculture into key development and resource management sectors.
In support of this objective, the donor agencies also handed over a large shade house and a dry goods storage shed constructed adjacent to the Larinson Parris Agricultural Depot at the Prospect Agricultural Station.
Project Coordinator in the Ministry of Agriculture, Steve Reid, explained that the 100-by-80-foot shade house will be used to propagate fruit trees for reforestation efforts in areas affected by erosion, hurricanes, pests, and disease over the years.
Honourable Evelyn welcomed the timely interventions, expressing appreciation to the partner agencies for their continued support to the island’s agricultural sector.
“All of these are a part of the project funded by GEF and as well as UNEP and IUCN, which we are eternally grateful for. So, I want to say a big thank you to all of our collaborating partners for assisting us in getting the new water storage tank, shade house and the dry storage facility so we can adequately store our produce that is being cultivated here on the island of Nevis.”
The items were formally presented by Technical Officer Melvin James and Project Coordinator Nikita Brown of the IUCN, along with Dr. Christopher Cox, GEF Programme Officer/Task Manager, all of whom played key roles in the implementation of the initiative.
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