Ministry of Agriculture & Lands – Local farmers will be able to reap more benefits from an enhanced Farm Labor Support Program in 2019. This is according to Chief Extension Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands Mr. Randolph Shears, who disclosed the amendments to the existing program, while making a presentation at the opening of the 2019 Plant Distribution Season at Mirabeau in St. Andrew on Thursday 25th July, 2019.
Under the revamped program, it is mandated that the farmers sign a contractual agreement with the Government of Grenada in order to receive support. “All farmers and land owners will have an opportunity to complete an application form. They will have to be guided by their District Extension Officers or Extension Assistants. Following this they will then submit the form to the Ministry of Agriculture for processing,” said Mr. Shears.
The criteria for selection of beneficiaries read as follows:
- Farmers must be commercial, registered with the Ministry of Agriculture and actively involved in farming.
- Farmers must have legal access to lands that are suitable for the enterprise.
- Farmers who receive assistance should satisfactorily maintain their fields, which received assistance from previous Labour support programs.
- Farmers should have a good track record of implementing technical advice provided by officers of the Ministry of Agriculture, the Grenada Cocoa Association (GCA) and Grenada Cooperative Nutmeg Association (GCNA).
- Farmers must have the capacity to maintain the assistance received under the program.
- Farmer should not receive any assistance on the same plot of land, which received support from any previous Farm Labour Support Program.
“Enormous efforts will be going into the program this year, to ensure that the program is efficiently executed and monitored at the field level to deal with challenges encountered in previous programs, “Shears also disclosed.
The Ministry through an investment of $ 300,000 will support the establishment of 100 acres Soursop, 25 acres of Nutmeg and Cocoa respectively, 10 acres of Coconut and 50 acres of spices under the program.
