Rebuilding irrigation and farm access roads top priority for Dominica agriculture

Dr. Lystra Fletcher-Paul, FAO Subregional Coordinator for the Caribbean presents Mr. Johnson Drigo, Dominica Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, with farming supplies that can be used to stimulate Dominica’s food production.

Restoring irrigation systems and road access to farming areas in Dominica are disaster response priorities that are vital to reestablishing the country’s food production destroyed by Hurricane Maria.

These priorities were highlighted as part of a meeting last week in Roseau, Dominica between the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) and Dominica’s Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to discuss recovery and resource needs, as well as the importance of rebuilding for sustainable and resilient agriculture.

During the meeting, the Honourable Johnson Drigo, Dominica’s Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries and Mr. Harold Guiste, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and Dr. Lystra Fletcher-Paul, FAO Subregional Coordinator for the Caribbean agreed that repairing Dominica’s irrigation systems is a mid-term goal that will help to regenerate crops especially as we move into the dry season. They also recognized that many feeder roads to farms and rural communities have been inaccessible due to debris blockages caused by the hurricane, and recommended the clearing of debris is necessary to revitalize Dominica’s agriculture sector.

Damages to irrigation and inaccessible feeder roads have significantly hindered the country’s ability to begin regenerating its food production and related livelihoods. They have also created setbacks for reestablishing Dominica’s food security, as well as providing farmers with markets to get the produce to other countries who rely on Dominica’s crops for their own nutritional needs.

“The restoration of the agriculture sector is a priority for the Government of Dominica for national food security and we must ensure that all farmers – especially those in remote areas have access for their produce to get to the market”, said Minister Johnson Drigo.

 

Staff from FAO’s Subregional Office for the Caribbean have been on the ground in Dominica since immediately after Hurricane Maria’s passage to help the Ministry assess damages and to facilitate recovery efforts. FAO has also secured significant funding from a range of international donor agencies to finance the restoration of agricultural production and livelihoods.

To symbolize FAO’s support and commitment to helping the agriculture sector fully recover, Dr. Fletcher-Paul presented Minister Drigo with vegetable seed varieties, fertilizer and farming tools that have been provided to Dominica to initiate replanting efforts. She also emphasized that restoring the sector should also include the introduction of climate smart technologies to reduce vulnerability to hazards, including hurricanes and other climate risks.

“The seeds and tools are just a small part of the inputs which are being provided by FAO and symbolize our commitment to work with the Government of the Commonwealth of Dominica to resort the livelihoods of the affected farmers, but more importantly, to build back the agriculture sector so that it is better and more resilient”, said Lystra Fletcher-Paul, FAO’s Sub-regional Coordinator for the Caribbean.

To date, FAO has secured over $500,000 USD in financial support to help rebuild Dominica’s agriculture and fisheries sectors. These funds include $300K USD from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA) through the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), as well as $100K USD from the Department for International Development (DFID) for the rehabilitation of the crop and livestock production for ensuring food and nutrition security of the most vulnerable population through distribution of agricultural inputs. Support generated by FAO also includes $100K USD in Special Fund for Emergency and Rehabilitation Activities (SFERA) that will enable part of the fisherfolk population to resume their fishery activities and guarantee the conservation and storage of the fish capture through distribution of fishing gears, cooling equipment (i.e. refrigerators and ice making machines) as well as material to repair damaged boats and USD 200,000 from the Government of Brazil.

Copyright 2012 Dominica News Online, DURAVISION INC. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or distributed.

Disclaimer: The comments posted do not necessarily reflect the views of DominicaNewsOnline.com and its parent company or any individual staff member. All comments are posted subject to approval by DominicaNewsOnline.com. We never censor based on political or ideological points of view, but we do try to maintain a sensible balance between free speech and responsible moderating.

We will delete comments that:

  • contain any material which violates or infringes the rights of any person, are defamatory or harassing or are purely ad hominem attacks
  • a reasonable person would consider abusive or profane
  • contain material which violates or encourages others to violate any applicable law
  • promote prejudice or prejudicial hatred of any kind
  • refer to people arrested or charged with a crime as though they had been found guilty
  • contain links to "chain letters", pornographic or obscene movies or graphic images
  • are off-topic and/or excessively long

See our full comment/user policy/agreement.

6 Comments

  1. High school teacher.
    November 13, 2017

    I more believe is handing out relief supplies, even de PM wife in that.

  2. Shameless
    November 13, 2017

    Really, when will Hurricane John-Dont-Know recognize that no one believes him? This guy does not have a clue and will never have one as it pertains to agriculture or anything otherwise. Now hurricane Maria did its thing on an already dead agriculture industry you will start hearing them blame poor Maria. Good thing is Mr. Louis, Arthie and Randy have been warning them for years. What a square peg in a round hole! The very red cool aid he has been feeding people in the C/Bruce constituency is running out and gramoxone he fed farmers has killed their enthusiasm. We are still waiting on the “sweet tender chicken” from the white elephant abattoir sir. Have you forgotten? :twisted:

    That man needs to go find a real job within his level of comprehension and expertise which I am not sure he has any.

    Assertive like Mama Eugenia! :twisted: :twisted:

  3. roy
    November 12, 2017

    Don’t forget the wildlife that must have been depleted by Maria. Especially the birds and insects, which are vital to the re-greening of Dominica,
    Bees and hummingbirds are masters at pollination. Without bees, humans would struggle to exist if at all. Get them in from neighbouring countries if necessary.
    We must get to work on replenishing the flora and fauna of Dominica – Quickly.

  4. November 10, 2017

    “Excuse me” the feeder roads were not impacted be hurricane Maria in fact there were hardly any access roads to most of the Agricultural belts of Dominica; they were destroyed long before Maria by Hurricane “DLP” when they came into office.

  5. My name
    November 10, 2017

    With all the CBI programme, many farmers begged for roads and help, hope this is just not talk.

  6. Karen Sutherland
    November 10, 2017

    After Erika, aid to agriculture was basically limited to aid for conventional, petroleum/chemical/pesticide-reliant agriculture. Hoping this time around, with heightened realization that nutritional security and agricultural regeneration as well as environmental and personal health for Dominica is linked with local, natural, not synthetic imported systems and products, that there will be aid for organic farmers as well. Right now, we’re replanting but lack of organic fertilizer will seriously impact our and other organic farmers’ ability to contribute to island food needs and a resilient, healthier Dominica.

Post a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

:) :-D :wink: :( 8-O :lol: :-| :cry: 8) :-? :-P :-x :?: :oops: :twisted: :mrgreen: more »

 characters available