Agriculture Minister Samal Duggins says St. Kitts and Nevis is strengthening water access for farmers as increasingly severe droughts threaten local food production.
Duggins said the country has experienced months with very little rainfall, prompting the Ministry, with support from the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture, IICA, to pursue water-security projects.
“Over the past few years, St. Kitts and Nevis has experienced a number of issues as it relates to climate change and what is happening. Specifically, I could speak to the incidents of drought. We have seen more severe drought periods within the country. We have seen issues that we have never seen before, where for months we had very little rainfall, and IICA stepped in to help in that regard. In that case, we have been working on projects to improve access to water and water security for our farmers.”
The minister said the work includes harvesting, storing and distributing available water to farms most in need.
He also disclosed that the country’s greenhouse village is nearing completion, with more than 24 greenhouses already erected. Duggins said protected agriculture and other technology could improve production while attracting more young people and women to farming.
“That helps our young minds to see agriculture quite differently and, again, to optimize production. IICA has helped with training. They have helped in supporting these initiatives in so many different ways. We believe that this also lends well for women in agriculture. Rather than the laborious tasks that are seen as cultivating the fields, we can now bring them and harness technology and utilize the efficiency of greenhouse and protected agriculture.”
Duggins described IICA as a key partner in strengthening agriculture and food security through training, technical assistance, data and investment.