Basseterre, St. Kitts, April 08, 2014 (SKNIS): Livestock farmers in St Kitts and Nevis are being positioned to receive significant assistance in developing the livestock subsector with a focus on small ruminants.
This subsector, which encompasses sheep and goats, is set to get a huge boost complements the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture to assist in the development and strengthening of the small ruminant industry.
This will be done by building the capacity of farmers involved in this type of production as well as to foster a better foundation for food and nutrition security. The overall objective, according to the FAO, is to modernize and strengthen small ruminant development in St Kitts-Nevis.
The Organization is also using this project titled “Technical Assistance to Promote the Strengthening of the Small Ruminant Subsector”, to provide support to cultural heritage, biodiversity, food security and economic, social development.
It was rolled out in February 2014 and is expected to be completed by May 2015.
The Ministry of Agriculture, with its responsibility of implementing the Technical Cooperation Project, will ensure the project covers pasture management, small ruminant breeding and reproduction and value chain which essentially includes the various stages from raw materials to sale of a finished product. The project will also directly benefit livestock extension officers, animal health assistants and veterinarians who provide technical advice and extension services to farmers.
From this project, small ruminant farmers will be trained in nutrition and feeding, pasture and fodder bank development and management, the use of local forages or feed and by-products in small ruminant nutrition, reproduction and breeding, housing, preventative veterinary medicine and health care, record keeping, market development and the development of the value chain.
The FAO believes a project of this nature will strengthen Associations for long-term development of the subsector and enhance St Kitts and Nevis’ capacity to address the limitations to small ruminant production as well as some root causes of low productivity in the subsector.
In addition, the Organization says the Caribbean has a very high food import bill as it relates to livestock products including milk and meat. However, with the relevant development of the small ruminant subsector, a large percentage of this imported meat can be produced, and supplied within the region.
The project will be facilitated by the FAO Sub Regional Office in Barbados with technical support from the FAO Headquarters.
Antigua, the Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Dominica, Guyana, Grenada, Suriname, St Kitts-Nevis and St Lucia are all participating in the FAO Technical Cooperation Programme with a USD$498,000 working budget.
*************************
DISCLAIMER
This article was posted in its entirety as received by SKNVibes.com. This media house does not correct any spelling or grammatical error within press releases and commentaries. The views expressed therein are not necessarily those of SKNVibes.com, its sponsors or advertisers
