NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (January 14, 2021) — The Department of Agriculture on Nevis will be resuming its Fresh Vegetable Market on January 15, 2021, at the Marketing Unit in Charlestown.
Mr. Randy Elliott, Director of Agriculture in the Department of Agriculture in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), said on January 14, 2021, that the initiative, which started in November 2020, has been well received by members of the public.
“Since November we have been organizing the event practically every Friday, but we took a two-week break over the Christmas period and people have been asking when we would be starting again.
“The general public has been very supportive of the event. I think they appreciate that they can get fresh local produce, and get them at a very low cost,” he told the Department of Information.
The Director said the initiative has a multipart objective, benefitting both the farmers and consumers.
“We want to ensure that persons have access to healthy foods. At the Marketing Unit we consolidate food from farmers around the island and sell the various produce at very cheap prices. We understand that due to the COVID-19 pandemic persons don’t have the resources they would have had before so we’re trying to keep the cost of locally produced food as low as possible.
“We also want to ensure that farmers can make a livelihood from their work, while not losing too much of their time having to leave their farms to go and sell the produce themselves,” he said.
Mr. Elliott noted that because more persons have ventured into farming since the onset of COVID-19, coupled with the NIA’s concessions to farmers, Nevis has seen an explosion with respect to the production of sweet potato and pumpkin.
Each week the list of produce sold varies based on harvesting patterns
This Friday [January 15], the Marketing Unit will be selling tomatoes at $2.50 per pound; pumpkin at $2.50; sweet potato at $3.50; green papaya at $3.00; seasoning peppers at $5.00; green banana at $2.00; string beans at $3.00; and sorrel at $10.00 per parcel.
The Department of Agriculture’s Fresh Vegetable Market will run from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m.
]]>CHARLESTOWN, NEVIS, November 16, 2020 (IICA-SKN) — Twenty backyard farmers on Nevis are the recipients of raised seed beds, Grow Boxes, thanks to the collaboration between the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) and the ministries of Health and Gender Affairs, Social Development, and Agriculture in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA).
“This initiative came out the Covid experience, understanding that a lot of people have lost their jobs and to help with food security,” said Technical Specialist, St. Kitts and Nevis IICA Delegation, Ms Sharon Jones, on Thursday November 12 at a ceremony held at the conference room of the Department of Gender in Charlestown to hand over the raised seed beds to backyard farmers drawn from the five parishes in Nevis.
The empowerment of the twenty farmers in Nevis was part of IICA’s response to the Covid-19 pandemic in the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Region, where the IICA Delegation in St. Kitts and Nevis in collaboration with Federal ministries on St. Kitts and ministries in the Nevis Island Administration launched initiatives aimed at improving food security at the grassroots on the two islands. Farmers on St. Kitts received rabbits and training in rabbit production.
“When I came with the discussion to Mr Randy Elliott, Director at the Department of Agriculture, his first reaction was that he really thought that because of the downturn in the economy in particular with tourism affecting Nevis that backyard farming would be the best impactful intervention,” observed Ms Jones.
She praised the Departments of Gender and Social Services for having done a very good job at the selection of the participants in the project, and the support they have given her. Of the twenty participants, six are from the Parish of St. George’s, four each from the Parishes of St. Paul’s, St. Thomas’, and St. James’, and two are from the Parish of St. John’s.
“I do think that you are all well-deserved and well pleased to take advantage of the opportunity,” said the St. Kitts and Nevis IICA Delegation official. “I myself have always had a backyard garden when I had my children growing up and it was not only a good place to provide extra food, but it was a good place for interacting with my children.”
According to Ms Jones, the grow boxes will not only provide food for the home and save on the family budget, but will also give the farmers an opportunity to make extra money by selling the foods that they will grow in their raised seed beds. She added that the farmers would also be contributing to the growth of the economy when it gets back on its feet.
“I do thank you (Departments of Gender Affairs, Social Development, and Agriculture in the Nevis Island Administration) for the support and I do look forward to following up this initiative as time goes along and when I do come back, I really want to see that the backyard farming is a strong movement and that you are all making great strides moving forward,” said Ms Jones in her conclusion.
Addressing the participants, Director of Agriculture in the Nevis Island Administration Mr Randy Elliott noted that at the Department they believe that partnership is very important, and the reason they decided that they will not only partner with IICA, but would also partner with the farmers, Gender, and Social Services to execute the project.
He said the twenty boxes that were constructed were funded by IICA and the Ministry of Agriculture valuing close to almost $30,000. He added: “It is no easy task for IICA to seek funding for this project and for the Ministry to put its efforts and its resources behind this project, bearing in mind it is not one of those projects or one of those programmes that were budgeted for in 2020.”
The Director of Agriculture who stated that the 4×16 boxes have a capacity of 64 plants, told the participants: “If you were to plant strictly tomatoes, 64 plants within the space of three months you could pull out maybe about $960 from those boxes. We are pleased to be partnering with the different departments and ministries, and IICA, all along with you the participants.”
Making presentations at the ceremony, which was chaired by Mrs Shelly Liburd, included Gender Affairs Coordinator Ms Lorraine Archibald, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Social Development Mr Keith Glasgow, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture Mr Huey Sargeant, Assistant Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Health Ms Latoya Jeffers, and Deputy Director, Department of Social Service Ms Joyce Moven.
Extension Officer, Mr Ronald King, made a presentation on Grow Boxes, while farmer, Mr Mull Liburd gave a testimonial of Grow Box experience.
]]>NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (October 23, 2020) — Mr. Huey Sargeant, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA), is pleased that his department was able to participate in the 36th Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Regional Conference for Latin America and the Caribbean held virtually in Managua, Nicaragua from October 19-21, 2020.
Mr. Sargeant, along with Mr. Randy Elliott, Director of the Department of Agriculture and Mr. Floyd Liburd, Deputy Director of the Department of Agriculture, were part of the St. Kitts and Nevis delegation headed by Ron Dublin-Collins, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, St. Kitts. Sargeant outlined some of the key points that were discussed.
“The major topics that were of note to us in Nevis were the rise in hunger in regions between 2015-2019; the economic impact of COVID-19 on livelihoods and food security; the use of technology for enhanced production; the need for improved access and trade options so that more persons can benefit; and investment in agro-food systems,” he said.
Speaking with the Department of Information on October 22, 2020, Mr. Sargeant said overall, the participation of the Nevis team was a good learning experience, and more importantly it validated the direction that Nevis is taking in agriculture.
“We are in agreement with the major points that were discussed and we are at differing levels in our operations to ensure food and nutrition Security,” he said.
Mr. Sargeant explained that they have taken steps to strengthen the island’s food systems including investing in storage, agro-processing and water provision. In the area of technology they are investing in production and marketing support tools and platforms, as well as working with the Republic of China (Taiwan) looking at tools to assess weather patterns, soil fertility and testing, as well as mapping the island’s resources.
The FAO Regional Conference is held every two years. It brings together the governments of its 33 member states in Latin America and the Caribbean to discuss the main challenges facing the region in food and agriculture.
]]>NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS (October 09, 2020) — The Department of Agriculture in Nevis will host a week of activities, from October 12 to 17 to celebrate World Food Day, October 16, 2020, under the theme “Grow, Nourish, Sustain. Together.”
Outlining the events planned, Mr. Randy Elliott, Director of the Department of Agriculture, said the activities are meant to highlight the sector and the importance of food production on Nevis.
On October 12 the department will host a promotion at the War Memorial in Charlestown. The general public is invited to meet and greet the technicians of the department and use the opportunity to ask the technicians about issues that relate to their farms or backyard gardens.
On October 13, the department will have its outreach day, with visits to retired farmers and retired staff. There will also be a farmers’ market at Beach Road from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. with farmers, agro-processors and fishers. Director Elliott encouraged persons to support the event to get to know who is growing and supplying their food.
On October 14 there will be a similar farmers’ market at the top of Government Road from 3 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. The department’s staff will also be the guests on the “On the Mark” radio show from 8 p.m.
The department will move its activities to the Cultural Village and Cicely Grell-Hull Dora Stevens Netball Complex in Charlestown, on October 15, for Multicultural Day. Persons from at least eight nationalities will be on hand preparing dishes from their native countries.
Mr. Elliott noted that several crops including breadfruit, sweet potato and cassava will be showcased at the event.
“We are asking the public to visit the Cultural Village to enjoy food from across the region and to support the agriculture department. There will also be two master chef classes showing persons how to prepare some of those dishes,” he said.
On World Food Day, October 16, the department will host Grill and Beer Friday at the Cultural Village.
“On this day basically everything will be on the grill from local fish, to local beef, and local pork. There will also be a domino competition on that day and all domino players who are interested can reach out to the department to register. There will also be food preparation demonstrations for pork, fish and chicken and a master class for persons interested in preparing the dishes. The action will run from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m.,” he said.
October 17, dubbed “Old Time Saturday,” will feature the sale of traditional foods from Nevis, a farmers’ market, mixology class, domino competition and Ministers’ cook-off between Hon. Mark Brantley, Premier of Nevis, and Hon. Alexis Jeffers, Minister of Agriculture in the Nevis Island Administration (NIA).
The event heralding the end of the week of activities will be held at the Cultural Village.
]]>NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS July 28, 2020 (Nevis Island Administration) — Mr. Randy Elliott, Director of the Department of Agriculture on Nevis, is welcoming the fleet of vehicles handed over to the Department and Ministry of Agriculture recently at the Prospect Experimental Station, stating that they have increased the department’s ability in greater measure to serve farmers.
The four vehicles, all four-wheel drive vehicles, were officially handed over to the department recently by Hon. Alexis Jeffers, Deputy Premier of Nevis and Minister of Agriculture, though they had been received before and were already in service.
“The vehicles will only add to the efficiency here at the Department of Agriculture. For those who would have known the department, there are times you have one vehicle sharing between four and five officers, and these vehicles are now being used to service our farmers in a shorter time span.
“Some of these said vehicles were used to assist our farmers as it relates to taking seedlings, taking pesticides, taking down to staking posts to farmers during the COVID. It is not just an addition of vehicles for the sake of vehicles but they are vehicles to improve the efficiency here at the Department of Agriculture,” he said.
Mr. Elliott noted that the new vehicles were given to the department at the right time to help to carry out the Nevis Island Administration’s mandate of increasing food production in the agricultural sector on Nevis.
He also expressed the view that the vehicles would also help to change the public’s opinion of agriculture.
“It basically changes the perception that persons have of agriculture also because over the years one would have seen the department fighting with old vehicles… It shows that there is a new thrust. There is a new way that the NIA is looking at the sector,” he said.
]]>NIA CHARLESTOWN NEVIS July 16, 2020 (Nevis Island Administration) – One hundred and fifty-four livestock farmers on Nevis benefited from a donation of animal feed in a Nevis Island Administration (NIA)/Eastern Caribbean Group of Companies (ECGC) partnership, a gesture described as a show of support for the farmers.
The $33,000 worth gift of feed which was distributed by Hon. Alexis Jeffers, Deputy Premier of Nevis and Minister of Agriculture, at Prospect on July 15, 2020, was the result of a collaborative effort between the Ministries of Agriculture; Finance and Trade, and ECGC.
In his remarks at the handing over ceremony, Mr. Jeffers expressed his satisfaction with the cross section of livestock farmers we have here on the island.
“We have businessmen, we have taxi operators, we have the average guy who works in the construction field, and we also have persons who are in executive offices too.
“It therefore means that you sought to add to your regular income something else that can be to the good of Nevis, and I want to thank you for your effort,” he said.
The agriculture minister spoke to the long-standing relationship Nevis has established with the ECGC which is based in St. Vincent and thanked them for coming to the assistance of farmers on Nevis over the years.
He thanked the manager and staff of the Abattoir and urged the farmers to continue to patronize the services offered at the facility, and to continue to purchase their feed from ECGC.
Mr. Jeffers also spoke to a project for broiler production which the Department of Agriculture hopes to introduce to farmers on the island shortly, and expressed hope that they would embrace it.
“I am hoping when we start talking about broiler production, for example, many of you may see it fit to get into broiler production. That will be an added means of income for many of you, an added product that we can offer to our consumers here on the island of Nevis,” he said.
The minister thanked the farmers for their support, and noted that the NIA, through the Ministry and Department of Agriculture, wanted to return the favour.
“We want to ensure that we reciprocate that support by providing you with all the necessary things that are needed to grow your business, to sustain you in this business so that agriculture can play the part that we know it can play here in the island of Nevis, more so the Federation of St. Kitts and Nevis as well,” he said.
Mr. Randy Elliott, Director in the Department of Agriculture, stated that the 825 bags of free feed is a show of continuing support for the livestock farmers, and expressed hope it would help boost their production.
“We are pleased to state that 154 farmers are going to benefit from this feed. This is just to show the continuing support and the confidence that the Department and Ministry of Agriculture have in our farming sector. It shows the support that we continue to push our farming sector especially as far as livestock and poultry is concerned.
“Let it be known that with this feed behind us we are hoping that the production here on the island of Nevis continues to improve, continues to get better, be able to become a little more self-sufficient in all that we do as it relates to livestock,” he said.
Mr. Colin Dore, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Finance, whose ministry was instrumental in securing the gift told the farmers that the venture is a show of support by the NIA for the development of agriculture on Nevis.
“It goes a long way in showing that even through the difficult times the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Agriculture and the Nevis Island Administration stand with you the farmers during this period.
“Of course it is a partnership and one would hope at some point in the future, as we continue to put subsidies into agriculture, some of it would start to resonate down to the buyers because as you reduce your cost of production, there should be some scope where you can now reduce your cost to the final consumer of your goods and services,” he said.
Also present at the ceremony was Mr. Huey Sargeant, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, who chaired the event; Mr. Floyd Liburd, Deputy Director of Agriculture, who delivered the Vote of Thanks and Mr. Kelso Clark, Livestock Extension Officer, who invited God’s presence in the proceedings.
]]>