Dominica: Government sets in motion special plans to promote agriculture and infrastructure

Roseau, Dominica - To promote agriculture and infrastructure development within the Dominica, the government has set in motion two special plans which will be enabling the sectors to register exceptional growth during the current year. 

Making this announcement during a press Conference on Tuesday, Prime Minister Roosevelt Skerrit, said that the government has decided to give a further push to the agricultural sector by launching the Dominica Emergency Agricultural Livelihoods and Climate Resilience Project (EALCRP). Besides, the government has also decided to undertake the East Coast Road Project which will be one of the most important infrastructure projects to be started in Dominica. 

Laying out the details of the Dominica Emergency Agricultural Livelihoods and Climate Resilience Project (EALCRP),  the Prime Minister said that this will be a 5 year plan which will be funded by the World Bank. 

Under this project the government will be helping the farmers who had been impacted by natural calamities to again engage in agriculture activities and contribute not just to the local economy but also to the food security of Dominica. 

Many farmers had been devastated due to Hurricane Maria in 2017 and the government has been initiating various projects to help them restart their agricultural activities. 

Under this project the government will be supporting the farmers and fishers by providing them with the needed tools, equipment and initial inputs to restart their livelihoods in the agricultural sector. 

The government will also be working to provide better irrigation facilities to the farmers and promote water management. 

The funds received under this project will also be spent on research and development to develop drought resistant crops at the government facilities. The crops developed at the facilities will then be given to the farmers for propagation. 

The Prime Minister said that the government was also working to provide easy finance to the farmers so that they can rebuild their farms and start the agricultural practices that were destroyed due to the natural calamities. 

The Prime Minister said that there will be a focus on developing the food processing industry in Dominica so that the agricultural produce can be processed and packed to bring in more profits for the farming community. 

The government will also be setting up early warning systems so that the farmers can be alerted about any impending natural disaster so that they can take effective measures to protect their farms. 

Talking about the East Coast Road Project the Prime Minister said that once completed this project will become the backbone of the economic activity of the region. He said that this project will immensely benefit the communities on the eastern coast of the nation. 

Under this project the road on the eastern coast will be rebuilt while ensuring that it remains safe and brings down the travel time for the commuters. This will connect the local communities on the eastern coast with the economic centre and enhance their capability of doing business. 

Under this project existing bridges will also be repaired to make them resilient against any natural calamity. The government will also be working to promote tourism so that more jobs can be created for the citizens of Dominica, the Prime Minister said. 

The Prime Minister said that instructions have already been issued to the concerned officers to ensure that the land acquisition efforts for this project are expedited. Besides, those involved in the project have also been asked to hold interactions with the local communities to understand how this project can meet their needs. The suggestions received will be incorporated in the final engineering plans for this project.