BASSETERRE, St. Kitts - FOUNDER of the Kittitian Hill development Val Kempadoo is of the view that with time the twin-island Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis could be self-sufficient, as the very fertile lands are capable of producing enough food to do so.
He is also of the view that the Federation could produce a wide range of foods never before grown on the islands.
Kempadoo expressed these views in an exclusive interview with this publication last Tuesday (Oct. 22) following a media tour of the facility which is still under construction.
He said that Kittitian Hill is taking a different approach to its scenery.
Instead of planting flowers and trees, having a team of persons looking after them and "getting nothing back from it", as there is no production because they are just there to "look pretty", he would instead use the fertility of the land to his advantage.
"I said why not be different? It might not be quite as pretty as the classic pretty flowers and so on, but there is an opportunity to change people's mindset. Because when people come here and they see bananas, they may say, 'Hey, look there are bananas on a tree!' Some of them have never seen bananas on a tree, they only see them in a supermarket., and we take these things for granted," he explained.
Kempadoo noted that for a tourist, it would be somewhat exotic for them to step out on their verandah and see a bunch of bananas hanging from a tree close by.
He added that the guests would also be encouraged to make use of the fruits around them, noting that there would be "pick me" singns hung where the ripest fruits are ready to be plucked and enjoyed.
"This alone adds to the guests' experience and it adds to the food production and, overall, changes the perception of what a resort like this can actually do," the Kittitian Hill founder said.
Kempadoo said that his vision for Kittitian Hill is "to become a net exporter external to St. Kitts", adding that the resort would produce more food here than would be consumed.
"We feel very strongly that there is a new way forward for agricultural development in the country. We feel very strongly that a resort like this occupy large parts of land traditionally and we're going to occupy 400 acres of land of which we're going to probably use 200 acres, and that leaves the other 200 acres of fertile ground," he said.
He said that that 200 acres would be used to produce food, which would not only sustain the development but also, over time and with the assistance given to the local farmers, the Federation and the region.
"We will share plants and seeds with farmers and collectors locally and around the region. Beyond our own farms, we are sponsoring local farmers in the area to produce more of ethically-produced food, including crops and livestock. We’re also working with local farms to help the whole island reduce the need to import fruit and vegetables."
He also said that once the development is up and running, persons who farm on a small scale and those who plant crops just for their household would also be able to travel to Kittitian Hill and collect seeds and slips of various foods to plant.
The Kittitian Hill owner further said that they would also be "sharing our expertise and organic approach", which would assist farmers successfully grow the quality food without the use of pesticides and other chemicals.
"You would see that over time, over a few years, a change in the amount of different fruits and vegetables that will be available here, just by people having access to different plants. But, on top of that, I'm going to try to actively encourage people to plant because I feel strongly that there is no reason why St. Kitts should not be a net food exporter with such beautiful soil," Kempadoo said.
Kempadoo said that the Federation has a unique opportunity to export organic fruits and vegetables to other Caribbean islands that do not have the water and soil to produce their own.
He declared that these islands also have a large amount of tourists that visit them looking for organic foods which St. Kitts and Nevis could supply.
"I don't think that we could just come in overnight and change agriculture in St. Kitts. I've learnt that agriculture changes incrementally. Introduce good quality of different types of plants, teach people slowly how to grow them organically and then over time change starts to happen," he explained.
Kittitian Hill is equipped with two sizable nurseries which produce a vast variety of food crops, most of which are not being planted anywhere else in the Federation.
Some of these crops include various types of spinach, different types of avocados, mangoes, coffee beans, nutmeg, bananas, cocoa beans and flowers used to make cologne.
He stressed that everything there is organic, as there are no pesticides and unnecessary chemicals being used.
Kempadoo disclosed that his core background is in agriculture and so it is his nature to always promote sustainable living.
"Agriculture is in my heart...it is my love!"
