 The Department of Forestry in collaboration with the Food and Agriculture Organization via the ACP MEAs 3 project is continuing efforts to increase climate resilience through the restoration of three riverbanks in the communities of Kaldisak, Ansleray and Canaries. A community meeting was held in Ansleray where the residents shared concern for the current state of their water system and the need for assistance in curbing the level of siltation getting into the rivers. Filled scientists at the Water Resource and Management Agency, Junior Mathre, explains that this hand of the project is aimed at revegetating areas that continue to degrade and will rehabilitate these areas with agroforestry crops and forestry species to strengthen the riverbanks. Ansleray for the last 10 years have been suffering with bad water quality by a lot of bad practices deforestation, sun mining, pumice mining, illegal harvesting of whether it be bamboos or forest species to make charcoal for persons to make a living. So there with this project we welcome it that it will improve the water quality and water quantity in our rivers. As erosion deforestation and waste disposal with some of the main issues identified, Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development, Honourable Alfred Prosper encouraged the residents to partake in the project to ensure the project's success as the quality of the river water directly affects them. When I see a number of bulk waste like fridges and stoves and old bicycles and so on in our rivers it hurts it hurts it hurts because our rivers supposed to be enjoyed by all our populace and it is not a place for people to dump garbage. Our farmers the type of land management activities in close proximity to the rivers you know where they you know there is the tethering of the cattle and other livestock along the riverbanks degrading the riverbanks and making it difficult for any form of vegetation to survive. We need to stop this. I am hoping that our meeting tonight would help to spread the message in and slurry on the rest of the country that we need to appreciate our rivers a lot more and we need to change the habit of making our rivers feel like it's a dump site. As enhancing the country's food security remains a priority for the Ministry of Agriculture, Minister Prosper affirms the government of St. Lucia's commitment to implementing measures to protect our natural resources. From the Communications Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture, I am Anicia Antoine reporting.