ST. GEORGE’S GRENADA– Forty people are currently being trained under the Pilot Agricultural Land Bank Project to increase sustainable farming and successful agribusiness enterprises.
This Pilot Agricultural Land Bank Project Agribusiness Training Programme is funded by the Government of Grenada and implemented by the Grenada Investment Development Corporation (GIDC).
The Agribusiness Training Programme specifically targets 38 pre-selected land bank applicants for both Diamond Estate and Grand Bras Estate pilot sites and two Extension Officers/Assistants. They will be trained in key areas that will contribute towards successful management and operation of farms/agribusiness enterprises.
This online training will run for four weeks and will cover topics such as effective recordkeeping, budgeting, cost and pricing, effective marketing systems, value chain development, risk management and planning, food safety and handling, effective time management, and business plan and grant proposal writing.
Speaking to participants at the virtual opening ceremony on Monday, November 15, Minister for Agriculture, Hon. Peter David, said Grenada is one step closer to having new agricultural entrepreneurs use land allocated under the pilot project.
“The 2012 census of agriculture showed an overall decrease of land characterised as agriculture, but at the same time, there was a simultaneous increase in agricultural lands left idle. This Land Bank Project is a very valuable initiative as it begins to address this issue, bringing agricultural lands that are idle and unproductive into practical and productive use. We can’t afford to leave so much of our agricultural lands untended, and we can’t afford to leave so many of our citizens with idle hands, especially when those hands are seeking lands to cultivate,” he remarked.
Senior Vice President of Business Development at the GIDC, Khesa Mitchell, said the training would aid participants in successfully starting and growing their businesses.
She said, “Over the next four weeks through various facilitators – who will be on board with us at the GIDC – we expect to impart knowledge and skills to the participants of this project to enable them to efficiently and effectively start their agribusiness and farming enterprises. The GIDC wishes to encourage the participants who have been selected under this project, to take advantage of the training to learn as much as you can.”
The Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) is offering technical support under this training. Land Tenure Officer, Amparo Cerrato Gevawer, applauded Government’s land bank initiative.
“We would like to congratulate the government of Grenada for their commitment, for taking a leading role in putting forward this programme which we believe is of great interest to other countries in the Caribbean as well as for other countries in Latin America,” she said.
Ministry of Agriculture…ensuring food and nutrition security for all
