The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in collaboration with the Caribbean Agriculture Research and Development Institute (CARDI) and the Ministry of Agriculture is the recipient of external resources through the Australian High Commission Direct Aid Programme, in an effort to support the National Livestock Association and other small ruminant producers.
A brief ceremony was held yesterday (Wed) to officially launch the new agricultural project, entitled “Developing Sustainable Protein sources for community nutrition resilience in Antigua.”
In addressing the launch, IICA’s National Specialist Mr. Craig Thomas said that the Aid Programme to the tune of $15,678 USD, would assist in the improvement of production of livestock and forages in the country.
“In order to increase and improve production, it is imperative that strategies and behaviors be modified to achieve this, it is also necessary to establish new institutional framework,” stated Mr. Thomas.
The project will be carried out in four (4) areas across the island; Paynters Livestock Association in Paynters, BBC in Seaview Farm, Glanvilles and Cades Bay.
It will run for a period of 10 months and comes to completion November 30 2020.
Thomas announced that land preparations have already begun at the Paynters Field Station on the demo plots.
The project will address the resilience of protein food systems and community food and nutrition security.
It will entail the growth of four highly nutritious non-invasive legume species that are tolerant to drought and flood and require less inputs for production explained Mr. Thomas.
In addition, the project will build the capacity of farmers to implement and manage feed systems using “a learning by doing approach. “
The project will also entail two components which are the soil analysis on each plot to determine how each climatic zone will grow the variation of plants, hence why they will be grown in four different areas. The other is a research component, which will assess the impact and the long and short-term effects of forages.
Acting Director of Agriculture, Mr. Gregory Bailey, expressed his enthusiasm for the scientific approach which will be implemented in the project, especially the use of soil sampling in order to produce high protein forages.
“We have implemented a number of projects in Antigua and Barbuda that once the project duration is over we generally have problems in terms of feasibility,” stated Mr. Bailey.
Also present at the launch was the President of the National Livestock Association, Mr. Emanuel Peters who noted that the main issue encountered by the livestock farmers, is pasture grazing and he explained how the project would solve this problem for livestock farmers.
“A project like this gives us a chance to have adequate nutritious feed for our animals which will genuinely help in the production and efficiency of meat production here in Antigua,” stated Mr. Peters.
Acting Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture, Ms. Annell Nicholas and CARDI’S representative, Mr. Paul Lucas also welcomed the project, describing it as very timely as farmers in disaster-prone countries often suffer from the impact that severe weather systems can have on animal feed.
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If the present Coronavirus situation in China, and its growing threat to other International territories, is any indication, it’s one whereby we MUST have some form of food security in the Nation, and Agriculture should definitely lead the way!
Kudos to those involved, and pushing for these initiatives!
I agree
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