Dominica is receiving support from the Organization of American States’ Cooperation Development Fund to increase agriculture production and alleviate poverty particularly in the north and north-east of the island.
GIS News spoke with Coordinator of the Programme, Amonia Paul-Rolle, who noted Government’s priority to reduce poverty on the island.
She says in the last Country Poverty Assessment, the parish of St. Andrew, in the north of the island was an area of concern.
The project titles, ‘Productive Employment’ aims to, among other things, assist existing farmers to increase production and to spark youth interest in agriculture.
“We’ve noted that when agriculture thrives in the rural community, the entire country benefits and that country does well in terms of GDP. So we thought that if we revived rural agriculture, we could probably see that kind of result.”
The three main components of the project are:
-A farmer field school for about 45 farmers focusing on ginger, onions and poultry production.
-The introduction of technology in agriculture to appeal to young people in the form of a hydroponics demonstration facility.
-Agriculture training
She says the National Employment Programme will engage young skilled persons to ensure that they are certified for work in the Caribbean Single Market and Economy.
The project is being implemented with the Ministry of Trade in collaboration with Ministries of Agriculture and Education.
Productive employment is expected to last a year and by the end of the project, it is estimated that over 150 farmers will be impacted.
The cost of the project is EC $348,000.
AMONIA IS HER NAME? Wow, she must be strong!
I guess that means posse, penville and vielle case is the only farmers that will benefit
fool marigot, westley and so on they said north.