Fond St. Jacques Farmers Receive Assistance

Farmers in Fond St. Jacque receive much-needed assistance to enhance dasheen production, addressing rising regional demand.

Thirty-five dasheen farmers in Fond St. Jacque have each received a financial boost of $1,500 to aid with ongoing challenges within the sector.

The donation was facilitated by the Minister for Commerce, Manufacturing, Business Development, Cooperatives and Consumer Affairs, Hon. Emma Hippolyte, who is also the Parliamentary Representative for Soufrière, Fond St. Jacque.

Fond St. Jacque is recognized as a high-production area for dasheen cultivation, a staple root vegetable that has recently seen a surge in demand, particularly in the regional market. Minister Hippolyte explains that the financial assistance aims to help farmers clean their fields and hire the necessary labour to increase production capacity to ensure the continuity of dasheen supply where the demand continues to grow.

“Part of my ministry, we have Export Saint Lucia. We went on a trip to St. Croix, St. Thomas, and the BVI, where there was an issue with dasheen, a huge market. So, we came back and said, since Fond St. Jaques is the land of dasheen, let’s engage our farmers, encourage them to expand their acreage. By encouraging them, I tried to give them an incentive, as you know they had many challenges post-COVID.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development, Hon. Alfred Prospere says the funding initiative is part of a larger government strategy to improve food security and export potential, as they continue to recognize the essential role that agriculture plays in the socio-economic fabric of St. Lucia.

“I am very happy that our farmers have embraced it, and I think it’s an excellent opportunity for farmers of Fond St. Jacques to take advantage of what is available to them. I believe that for our farmers, they need the opportunity to make money out of agriculture, they need to help Saint Lucia reduce its food import bill, and I believe this is a very good project. I saw farmers were excited and extremely happy, and I know that they would take advantage and make use of that opportunity.”

Reiterating the government’s dedication to ensuring that the agricultural sector overcomes current and future challenges, Minister Prospere says this development comes as a hopeful signal to the agriculture sector, promising continued support and investment in its growth and sustainability.