St. Kitts, FAO Discuss Agriculture Strategy

BASSETERRE — The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources met with officials from the Food and Agriculture Organization this week to chart priorities for the country’s farming sector, as part of an ongoing review of the government’s agricultural programming with the United Nations agency.

The Department of Agriculture hosted a Plenary Meeting as part of the FAO’s Country Programming Framework (CPF) Mission, bringing together stakeholders to review strategic priorities, strengthen collaboration and identify opportunities to shape the future of agricultural development in St. Kitts and Nevis.

Dr. Renata Clarke, head of the FAO Subregional Office for the Caribbean and FAO representative to the OECS, including St. Kitts and Nevis, attended the discussions. She was joined by Anthony Kellman, projects officer at the FAO Subregional Office for the Caribbean, and Permanent Secretary Randel Thompson, along with officers from the Department of Agriculture.

The Country Programming Framework serves as the primary tool guiding FAO’s support to member states, aligning the organization’s technical assistance with national development goals. The plenary session gave both sides a chance to assess ongoing initiatives and discuss where continued FAO support could have the greatest impact locally.

Officials said the partnership remains central to the government’s broader push toward food security and agricultural resilience, an objective that has taken on added urgency amid global supply chain pressures and the Federation’s ongoing efforts to reduce its food import bill.

The Ministry said it remains committed, through its continued partnership with the FAO, to advancing sustainable agriculture, strengthening food security and building a more resilient agricultural sector for the benefit of the Federation.

No timeline was announced for the conclusion of the CPF Mission or for the release of any resulting programming document.