ST. GEORGE’S GRENADA– As the Government of Grenada continues to roll out its transformational agenda, several key agricultural programmes geared at improving food security, building resilience and enhancing the lives of farming families are receiving priority attention.
Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Forestry and Fisheries, Senator Adrian Thomas, on Thursday 18th August 2022, during the Annual General Meeting of the Grenada Cocoa Association announced that, “Cabinet has made the commitment to provide a direct cash payment of $300,000 for the Grenada Cocoa Association and the Grenada Cooperative Nutmeg Association, which will be used to support the Associations in delivering their own Farm Labour Support Programme to their members.”
The Agriculture Minister also stated that “the ministry will not divide the funds, as ……the two associations are capable and man enough to sit, discuss and agree on the best way to utilise the funds in the interest of the farmers.” This is in keeping with the Government’s thrust to pursue the merger of the two commodity boards.
Minister Thomas is of the firm belief that now is the time to consolidate on the merger talks that have commenced and have been ongoing for over ten years now, and to look to one entity to manage the affairs of our cocoa and nutmeg famers.
“ Now is the time for real change in the industry. Positive transformation of the GCA requires a new structural and organizational framework that results in a coming together with the GCNA in a process that is driven by the farmers, for the benefit of the farmers.”
He is of the further view that the GCA must seek to expand the acreage under cocoa cultivation and production to build on the work that has gone into value addition over the last 20 years, and to begin utilising renewable energy in their drying processes.
“GCA must expand its use of renewable energy technology bringing it to bear on other processes, especially in chocolate manufacturing.”
To this end Minister Thomas provided assurances that his ministry would seek to speed up on the implementation of the Climate Smart Agriculture Rural Enterprise Development (SAEP) Farm Roads programme, to improve access to Cocoa and Nutmeg Lands to boost production and move the sector forward.
The Grenada Cocoa Association is also receiving support through the OECS Regional Agriculture Competitiveness (AGRICOM) Project to ensure that its Milk Chocolate Factory in Mt. Horne becomes a reality and will be operational by the end of the year
The Cocoa Industry has made several marked improvements in its economic indicators over the past year, which includes growth in production levels by 27 %, sale of raw cocoa beans which grew by 17% and sale of chocolate and other value-added products.
Despite the unfortunate economic shocks experienced over the past two years, the Grenada Cocoa Association was able to sustain the livelihoods of many dependent families by raising the price paid to farmers in January of 2021, which promoted a three-hundred thousand (300,000) pounds increase in cocoa production.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Forestry, Fisheries and Cooperatives will continue to lend full support to transformational projects of the Grenada Cocoa Association which would improve its cash flow and profitability, and ultimately put more money in the pockets of farmers.
