St Lucia launches ambitious agribusiness project

St Lucia has launched a multi-million dollar project aimed at strengthening agribusiness operations within the context of climate change according to CMC.

The US$1.8 million Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) funded Sustainable Agribusiness for Laborie and Environs (SABLE) project is intended to benefit farmers and fisherfolk mainly in the south of the island.

“The project is innovative as it will deliver financial support for the adoption of climate resilient practices and improve livelihoods for our members. In addition, the project explicitly connects market opportunities, investment capital, capacity building and technical support,” said Steven Auguste, president of the Laborie Co-operative Credit Union (LCCU), which is executing the programme.

He said this is being done through a blended financial intervention to support greater climate resilience, environmental and commercial sustainability of small agro production, and fishing in the south.

“The LCCU is extremely well positioned to facilitate and support the successful implementation of the proposed intervention in climate change adaptation of farmers and fisherfolks,” Auguste said.

LCCU general manager Lucius Ellevic said fisherfolks and farmers are not doing well because the systems and methods which are supposed to help them sell and generate revenue from their production have failed them.

“Thus is the salient area in which this project will address itself,” he said.

Prime Minister Allen Chastanet said the government fully supports the project and that it is the intention of his administration “to ensure that there is a clear market space for fresh fruits as well agro processing.

“That is why the development of the south is so critical,” he said, noting that development projects such as hotels which will soon commence in the south creating opportunities for farmers.

“What is taking place here is timely…I am appealing to farmers to make use of the opportunities we have provided under this project,” Chastanet said.

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4 Comments

  1. Paul Rossnof
    February 6, 2018

    All these islands do, our government only talks. Instead of investing some serious money in the agricultural sector incl. processing, Skerrit is giving money away to pay people to work in the private sector. Benefit to the country = 0.00. That man and his administration are totally useless.

  2. Ibo France
    February 6, 2018

    Any serious and well thought out initiatives to boost agriculture and agro-processing I’m All In. The Caribbean has the two main basic resources it take for agriculture to flourish, arable soil and water. Too much of the budgets in these islands goes to tourism developments. Caribbean governments spend too much on building, maintaining and staffing sea and air ports, and on overseas advertisements all for this one fragile industry. The foreign hoteliers, restaurateurs and other nonnative investors expatriate their profits. With agriculture and agro-processing, most of the money circulates within the country to build the economy.

  3. Who stole the cookie?
    February 6, 2018

    Meanwhile in Dominica hurricane Skerrit successfully destroyed our agriculture and farming sector and instead launched millions of dollars in the red clinic so Dominicans could look to him instead of cultivating their farms. Hurricane Maria finished the destruction started by hurricane Skerrit and Dominicans are left with no farms, no agriculture, no roof, no money, no work and NO RED CLINIC.

    • in these times
      February 6, 2018

      We dont need more hand outs. What we need is a clear consise plan with results as well as people who are willing to work. Dominica now stands a chance of doing things properly to ensure our survival as well as feed the rest of the eastern caribbean. This initiative by St. Lucia is the same as what our government has done with farmers and fisherfolk here. however there may be more accountability and follow. I think now is the time to stop expecting governement to do everything for us and expect handouts. now is the time to work towards success.

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