Minister of State with responsibility for Agriculture and Lands, Fisheries and Cooperatives, Senator the Honourable Adrian Thomas recently held discussions on improved agriculture priority areas with Gregg Rawlins, the Eastern Caribbean States’ representative at the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture.
The two met virtually in what was Senator Thomas’s first official engagement with IICA since assuming office on June 30. Mr. Rawlins was accompanied by IICA’s National Specialist in Grenada, Derek Charles.
During the meeting, the IICA official highlighted the role of the Institute and briefly outlined its five programmes, the construct of the Eastern Caribbean States, and its collaboration with the Government of Grenada, through the Ministry. He also emphasized IICA’s readiness to provide services to the agriculture sector in Grenada.
Mr. Derek Charles provided a synopsis of priority areas of collaboration by IICA in Grenada, and highlighted the support to the abattoir project funded by the CDF, strengthening the governance of producer organisations, and training in post-harvest quality and food safety.
Minister Thomas thanked IICA for the opportunity to meet and share areas of interest for the agriculture sector. He also emphasised the areas of Food Security, the Spice Industry; Medicinal Marijuana; and Specialization in Agriculture as a few of his Ministry’s priorities.
IICA expressed its pleasure in meeting with the Honourable Minister and assured him of its commitment to continue to have close and cordial relations with his Ministry, and to contribute to him having a highly successful tenure in office, marked with outstanding achievements in the areas under his Ministerial portfolio.
