The Government of Commonwealth of Dominica, with funding provided by the European Union Development Fund (EDF) under the 11th Economic Development Fund (EDF) contract, has commenced the rehabilitation of feeder roads within all seven agricultural regions.
Contracts totaling EC$9,943,819.47, have been awarded and signed for rehabilitation works in Castle Bruce, Grandbay, Paix Bouche, La Plaine, Calibishie, Carholm, Wesley and Morne Rachette Heights.
The Ministry of the Blue & Green Economy, Agriculture & National Food Security has identified and prioritized these rehabilitation works to ensure that critical attention is focused on areas already engaged in commercialized production or those with strong potential to engage in large scale production or high value crops.
The rehabilitation works of over forty-six (46) miles of road and an improved physical infrastructure will enhance agricultural value-chain, improve commercial competitiveness, and increase overall farm productivity.
Over seven hundred (700) farmers/landowners with fifteen hundred (1500) acres of land will benefit directly from these improvements. The Ministry projects further expansion in production of over 1400 acres upon the completion of the improvements to the road networks. The contribution of agriculture to the island’s food security and environmental sustainability is vital, and these physical improvements in farm roads are expected to foster domestic agricultural production, increase employment opportunities for rural farm families, enhance market access and attract new entrants into the sector, multiplying the benefits to be derived from agricultural development.
Why are you all complaining in the comments section? is that all you all can do? We wanted work to be done, improvements, here we are getting it and we stillllll complain. Some of you claim the country not doing good but I am starting to believe that it is YOU all that do not want to see the country doing good. Under positive news, if you have nothing positive to say, just keep moving.
They are so enamoured of Lennox Linton that even Stevie Wonder can see better than they do. Nothing will please these bombshells.
I’m sure most patriotic Dominicans remember when mr. Farmer was king in this country, very independent and did not have to kiss anybody’s behind to get along in life; then a few political “pimps” took control of the administration of our affairs and prostituted these progressive farmers into beggars. Wake up my people especially the youth; you simply can’t spend the rest of you lives dependent on handouts and think you can build a better world on “freeness”.
It is clear from the amount of money allocated, not every village will get a feeder road or have their existing road repaired. That is not to say the government should not have made a more serious effort to invest in agricultural.
It is clear for everyone to see that agriculture was not a priority for this government. Some of the money they are spending to give away houses to their supporters should have been invested in the agricultural sector to enable those who want to work the ability to build or purchase their own homes. But that is a story for another day.
Having said that, which village is undeserving of a feeder road in order for others to be constructed or repaired in the areas you guys mentioned?
If the government was serious about agriculture all these areas would have proper roads to bring produce to market.
But wait….was our government sleeping? Are them just awakening ? U must eat everyday…so ? Import all foods?)…at last….u all woke up and d cofee is real….. no vision…..
I hope one day Rossi street in Wallhouse will be remembered. So many election promises. Let us wait to see if just before the next election the broken promise will return.
The minister did say at the start of his tenure that the farmers need access to the farms, better access, to assist with production. That was logical reasoning, promises made, promises kept. Kudos to all involved. This is positive news for agriculture.
The stone that the builder refused will always be the head cornerstone!
Farm access roads in Salisbury and Colihaut are incomplete from the last BAM project by the way. What about Carholm and Layout Park?
I recall the farmers cry radio program.
Every mention of agriculture was cursed and rebuked in our nation’s parliament by the sitting government!
Shame on you all that after 22 years you have this pretence about agriculture in our economy at this critical time.
Well show me how serious you are in de upcoming budget
How about those ‘farmers’ from vielle case that received some $10,000 years ago for farming a few square yard at the back of their houses. Are they not in business any more? Have they moved abroad after receiving the grant from their master? Anybody know?
I have always maintained that the more we invest in the agriculture sector, the more we will reap the benefits. More emphasis should be placed on this sector by government as this is the backbone of the economy whether we accept it or not.
I applaud this initiative and encourage all parties to explore other areas of this sector that would help stimulate its growth.
Honorable Prime Minister what about the people of Bagatelle and Fond St Jean. It seems like they are forgotten. the people were promised homes after Maria and to date nothing has been done. I encourage you to revisit the area to see and hear the urgent needs of the people. After all we are part of Dominica. Please dont treat us like we are isolated.
Maybe in future you think twice who you vote for! An envelope on Election Day doesn’t give you a good government with a good PM. How many promises to you all have been broken over the years and you still fall for it. FOOLISH!!
How much money do you need to spruce up your run-down law firm in order to attract more clients?
The honourable crime minister fooled you well and good. Lessons learned? I doubt it!
The Skerrit-DLP led government overstates every development for favourable publicity. However, this project has been long in coming and I’m elated that some farmers would have easy access to their farmlands. That’s good!
The billions collected from CBI sales of the people’s patrimony should have paid for these vital network of farm roads over a decade ago. Because of gross mismanagement of these funds, the government has to rely on the EU, the Chinese, the Russians, and even economically bankrupt Venezuela to finance well needed projects and developments.
Let’s hope the productivity of the farmers increase prodigiously and they get a ready market for their produce.
You mean it had to take over twenty years for the double doctorate dude to realize that development of the country needs to have multi sector attention? Under his stewardship the only sector which received the requisite attention was the hotel building sector, which constituted the “next level”and which to date has only Klempinski and Jungle Bay to talk about. The question remains how profitable are these and what are their net contributions to the GDP. Remember that Ross university left because of the failure of the corrupt government to do what they promised. The farmers of Salisbury protested a few times to have their farm access roads repaired but the tunnel vision government paid them no mind. Now that St Lucia is making inroads into regional markets it will be a steeper climb to resuscitate the agricultural sector. I’m happy for the farmers and communities which are currently receiving attention to agriculture and hope the entire country benefits soon.
Not sure how the feeder roads leading to Cregg/Craig and Goul in Marigot have been omitted from this “Island wide improvement to farm access roads”, but they should be included as commercialised production comes from/had traditionally come from Marigot, and it still has much potential to engage in large scale production and/or produce high value crops with better road access.
Good imprisonment. But it’s high time to make progress on road building, you can’t keep building those DEEP DRAINS with our without slab coverings. Don’t Let engineers fool you that these drains carry lots of water hence need to be deep. The road is what carries water, drains control direction of water, V drains are what you need in most areas and neighborhoods, not those deep drains/valleys where we lose so much land to please an engineer’s fancy. Ask Gadakan, he successfully drains water using V drains from Sylvania to Paygwa when you head towards airport. If you do deep drains, cover them, our vehicles get stuck in those too often costing money.
Correction: Good improvement.
This time IBO France and Francisco-dog going to toofay DNO for posting that.But how UWP saying Skerrit corrupt and all DE time financial institution putting money in DE man hands?UWP corruption and Skerrit corruption is two different kind of corruption it look like.The people kick UWP out of office after four and a half years(1 term) for corruption victimization and greed.DLP there for 22 years and still going strong.How come the PEOPLE throw UWP out for corruption and they not throwing DLP out for corruption?
Please for the love of God build the roads gently slopping or slight gradient on each side, so the water can drain of into the drains and not cause potholes due to standing water, stop building roads flat like a PANCAKE