St Kitts and Nevis: Thousands of banana and plantain suckers handed over to local farmers

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources of St Kitts and Nevis handed over thousands of bananas and plantain suckers to local farmers in the Federation. This distribution drive by the authorities was conducted on Wednesday, 16^th October, 2024 as a part of the week-long celebration of World Food Day.

As per the details, the authorities distributed around 13,000 banana suckers and between 12,000 to -15,000 plantain suckers during the drive. This is a great initiative undertaken by the Ministry with a vision to help the local farmers thrive.

While shedding light on this initiative, the Ministry noted that they are committed to offer their farmers with all the required tools and resources in order to help them thrive and elevate the agricultural sector of the country to greater heights.

They noted that all these initiatives are their commitment to help farmers optimize their yields, adopt sustainable practices, and maintain consistent production levels, which are crucial in order to lead the nation towards their agenda of reducing food import bill by 25% by 2025.

Moreover, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources conducted several activities in order to celebrate World Food Day under the theme “Right to foods for a better life and a better future.”

The Ministry aims to highlight the importance of agriculture and fisheries in food system and communities by celebrating this week-long celebration of World Food Day 2024.

While shedding light on the World Food Day, the Minister of Agriculture, Samal Duggins noted that this celebration is not just a day of reflection but a day that calls everyone to act and remind that food is more than just sustenance.

He called “food” the foundation of health, economy, and nation’s future. He stated that in St Kitts and Nevis, the right to food is not merely a slogan but a national imperative which ensures that every man, woman, and child has access to safe, nutritious, and adequate food.

He added that agriculture and fisheries are the beating heart of this mission which plays a huge role in providing jobs, sustaining livelihoods and offering the fresh locally sourced food that enriches the daily lives of the citizens of the country.

Minister Samal Duggins further continued to say that their government is dedicated to fortifying this backbone and committed to fostering a renewed pride in farming and fishing as dynamic, rewarding careers for the youth of their nation.

The Minister asserted that they are determined to build a resilient agricultural system that offers diverse high-value crops.