 Good day everyone and welcome to the program agriculture under the move. My name Philip Sidney your host. My guest today is a very important one, one you're familiar with and you hear a lot from him today and he's none other than the Honourable Alfred Paul Prospe who is the Minister with responsibility for agriculture, fisheries, food security and rural development. Welcome to the program Honourable Minister. Thank you very much. It's a pleasure to be here. Yeah well thank you for taking time off I know you're very very busy but of course you always tell to Lucia what you're doing in your ministry. Very true and the farmers you know always the fishers the farmers everybody in the sector I'm sure they want to hear, they would like to hear what's happening. Definitely and of course we're starting on the ball one year into your helm, the helm of the ministry. A challenging one year. Challenging one year. It amidst the challenges Honourable Minister what were your main achievements? Yes and I must say it's good to celebrate this first year I mean as a new minister there were lots of challenges but there were also some very very good achievements and one of them that I must mention first is the state that we got the Manana industry when we came in. It was an industry that was almost lost. Our farmers had lost confidence in the UK market. Our farmers did not have the support to be able to allow them to buy the resources for the farms. The high cost of fertilizer, the high cost of other inputs, we had a problem with the NFTO you know not being able to have the financial resources to you know continue from where Winfresh left off. So these were challenging times and today I must say a lot of progress have been made. NFTO was you know we were able to assist NFTO with getting the 3.8 million dollars to assist them with their operations. We had a banana task force established to look into the whole industry where it is, where we want to go, what are some of the challenges. That task was completed by a banana task force. We had a special consultancy done to really review the operations of NFTO and then we moved further to re-engage the farmers to ensure that they produce the quality fruits that the UK market would get. And so far we've started, this week coming is the 10th week we've resumed exports of bananas. This is not something I will sit and boast because this is not where I would like to see the industry at this time. But it's a start. But it's a start. It's you know some progress but I really want to continue encouraging our farmers to produce the quality fruits that the UK requires and as well as the region. Currently we are exporting about 6,500 boxes of bananas to the region and I'm hoping that before the end of this financial year we can increase that to 10. We were happy to engage St. Sbrea. You know St. Sbrea has indicated to us they are more than willing to resume export to sign a contract with us but we want to see that a lot more you know you know will happen especially with the maintenance, the consistency with the quality, the consistency in volume. But at the end of the day our farmers too are under pressure. They are suffering because of the high cost of imports and every meeting I attend I know the call is what can government do and I want to say to them I really wish our government could do a little more but we have had the COVID to deal with and we now challenge by what's happening in Ukraine and Russia and we know the high cost of gas fuel to be exact and the government is subsidizing a lot in terms of the fuel, the rise, the sugar and so on. And it's a little unfortunate that the farmers are the ones suffering now but I'm certainly sure in the next few months, in the next, in the short term, I'm certainly sure government will try its best too you know ease the pressure on the farmers. I want to commend, I want to say thank you to the government tomorrow and we have of the government of St. Lucia for making available to us 3,944 bags of fertilizer and all of that will be given to the farmers free of charge. I'm hoping that that would be a relief for the farmers. And that's the vegetable farmers? Yes, well many of the vegetable farmers and I feel sorry that you know the banana farmers cannot benefit from it because of the type of the various ratio, the ratio is more appropriate for the vegetable farmers. In the fisheries sector we've made some progress, we you know there was a passage of the agricultural and fisheries incentives bill and it makes provision to for people persons who are in the seamos industry the fishes now can buy more of the products that they were unable to buy before the lines the hooks and all of those things have been made available in there. So that's a major achievement, achievement for the fisheries sector we understand what the fishes are going through now because of the high cost of gas and our ministry has been trying its best to get what we call the fisheries and reading device what we call the fads and we are really going to see how many we can get to spread around the island so it can reduce the pressure of the fishes having to buy gas to go too far out and so they can go around the fads and they can you know be able to still earn a livelihood. Currently we have three fads and we're looking forward to see if we can get at least ten before the end of this year so we can have as many fads as possible to assist our fisheries. Just a week and a half ago we were able to open a new fisheries facility in Sabans Bay and the opening of it was not just opening it and giving it to a private person but we gave it to the fishers so we have an MOU with the fishers because I want the fishers to be more involved in managing what belongs to them. We have the LBO that is closed now since last year December. There's Blue Ocean. The Blue Ocean and it is really impacting the fishers but I really want to see that this step that we took last week in Sabans Bay will be replicated in Souffre, in Grosile, in Dennery, in Miku so at the end of the day the fishers will be involved in managing what is theirs. You know this is the direction, this is my vision for the fisheries sector. We are putting together the vessel monitoring device. We are hoping that our fishers will take advantage of it. So when they have any problems at sea they will call and we will be able to reduce. As you mentioned that there is currently a gentleman in Souffre who is out at sea and maybe out there but he cannot be found. If there was that device installed there's a strong possibility he might be located. Very true. This is sort of the closure of the end of the project life of the BPIP and we have replaced BPIP with what we call a black cicatucca unit because we understand the importance of men taking control of the black cicatucca problem in our banana fields and if we have to maintain the quality we have to ensure that we continue to control and take action to deal with the disease. So we have that unit in place and we are still helping that and by the way before I forget I want to mention that all farmers who have quality fields will be getting a free cycle of oil from the BPIP. So I would like them to take advantage of that and start in the right direction as a means of reducing on the cost of production. So these are a few of the things. You have the seven crops program that was launched the second phase. It's a five-year program commencing this year until 2026 and to the tune of almost ten million dollars thanks to the Taiwanese government for making available those resources for us. And the whole aim of the seven crops program is to reduce our food import bill. Our farmers will be getting fertilizer at a subsidized price. We are training a number of young farmers under that program because I believe young farmers are important for this industry considering what is happening in the industry now. We are giving technical support to our farmers. We are having a number of farmers markets happening in Dennery and all over the island. This direction I'm hoping that our farmers can benefit and take advantage of this. I was happy we were able to launch and host a banana festival. Yes. You know our bananas so many value added products that can be made from bananas. I mean this was followed by a mango festival. You know and on a whole food day in October we are going to put together in Dennery at Fondo Park to be exact a CMOS festival. So we are really bringing together all those persons who are involved in those areas to really showcase the products that they are making and to encourage our people, our locals to be able to buy and consume those products. Fresh St. Lucian's best. Fresh St. Lucian's best. We are progressing very well in terms of the volet livestock station and we are hoping that before the end of the financial year we can move the animals to volet and we can start a program where we can improve the livestock sector so we can get our livestock farmers a lot more involved in the livestock sector and we can produce a lot of the meats that we consume. I understand the challenges in the poultry sector. I know the high cost of feed for the poultry and I know the 28 percent there are issues that we need to deal with but I understand what it is because I know the poultry sector like the livestock sector they have issues with the feed. I am hoping that you know some sort of assistance can come their way and we can make farmers a lot more you know comfortable that they can get the help from the government. They can get the support from the ministry and to be able to ensure that they can remain and be a lot more sustainable in the sector. In fact you know minister all that you have said there leads to one thing you know food and nutrition security that's where we are and you mentioned earlier on you know about the war in Ukraine and the food security is more apparent now because our food prices in the supermarkets are soaring right now if God forbid that something happened and the boats cannot come in to bring in you know the those products that we need to consume what are we going to do we need to produce local hours as much as possible to consume it and that is why the agro processing is crucial and he mentioned the Burdano festival and the mango festival these are things that we need to do to encourage people to do what we need to do and to eat what we grow I moving forward I heard you mentioned about the lockers at Savansby but I was so pleased to hear the prime minister mentioned about the new jetty for Miku and it's not a floating it's going to be a stationary one you know so tell us about that and it's a good point you're raising because it has I mean it's unfair to the fishers it is to be getting something that they are no path to play exactly contributed to it they never wanted it but it was forced upon them and it's just after just a few weeks and you're talking millions of dollars yeah but right now the announcement by the prime minister will give a lot of relief and hope the intention was the intention was good you know by suppose the assessment of the the roughness of the sea on the Atlantic side people that did not take that consideration for that kind of condition so I'm very happy you know that the Prime Minister said it will happen it will happen and currently we are in the process of we are working with the Ministry of Infrastructure where they are looking at the costings doing an assessment of the area and to be able to come up with a very good structure that would be sustainable and it would be cost effective yeah and I'm very happy for this good news that I'm you know coming from the prime minister and you know how that can impact the people of the fishes of Miku and you know as we speak they have another major problem affecting them it's a god I'm single oh my god yeah it's making life very difficult for them man yeah I just want to say to them that you know it is you know a concern that you know the entire government the cabinet has been discussing and we are hoping that you know soon from now we can you know be able to do something yeah give some relief to our fishes in Miku okay those along the eastern beautiful we are due for a break you're watching agriculture and the more stay tuned it will be back very soon the Ministry of Agriculture fisheries food security and rural development is placing heavy emphasis on the concept of food security it's our prosperity our future the enhancement of the efficiency of production distribution supply chain in the fruit and vegetable sector project more commonly known as the seven crops project is intended to increase local production of all selected crops and decrease our food import bill through the diversification of the agricultural sector and increased production of the targeted crops among the provisions as subsidized input sales seedling distribution introduction of new varieties introduction to new technology erection of weather stations and capacity building from more on the seven crops project contact the project coordinator at 468 8122 welcome back to the program agriculture on the move and it's on the move people if you the lots has happened and a lot is going to happen moving forward under the leadership of honourable Alfred Prostway who is here our Minister for Agriculture Minister we spoke a lot about your achievements and now we let's look at you know what is to come I know there's a cocoa project okay and they have been so many cocoa you know in the past and they just die natural death I had Mr. Eloy Alex say with me a few weeks ago and he mentioned about that new product he's the coordinator and then he gave some good reviews about that that project and I'm hoping is going to be sustained tell us about a project well this project is a project that was approved by during this for 2022-2023 the tune of almost I think it's 1.6 million dollars and aim is to propagate approximately 1 million cocoa plants to distribute throughout St. Lucia now currently we have lots large areas of cocoa but a lot of those cocoa plantations of those areas we have cocoa planted these are not been maintained so we have to focus on rehabilitation of almost 200 hectares to assist the farmers with you know inputs to be able to ensure that they get we get those plantations back into production now I know we have the cocoa pod disease that is a major pod yeah sorry the black pod thank you that is a major problem in cocoa and it seemed to be discouraged a number of farmers from wanting to maintain it but the thing about cocoa is that we have a big market in the UK for cocoa we cannot meet the demand of the market now given what is happening in the banana industry given what is happening in the whole sector in terms of food security I think that's a very good direction that our ministry is taking in terms of helping diversify you know the sector because I believe that you know whilst yes we have been dependent on bananas but within a few months a few weeks from now as we are in the rainy American season the entire plantations of bananas can be wiped off so our farmers must be able to diversify so they can they can depend on other crops grown on the same piece of land and just imagine about having a good mix plantation with bananas and cocoa the bananas as you utilize the trees that's why many things for me so I really want us to do it differently this time because I remember in the past 10 or more years we were given free plans to farmers but you see this one thing to do that but they must be maintenance and continuity yes you don't just give it to the farmers and turn your back so we have to be able to ensure that we take this project very seriously because I know it can impact the livelihoods of hundreds and hundreds of farmers especially those farmers who are on the way out you know they may be moving out of bananas but they still have some interest in you know going to the farm maybe once or twice a week cocoa would be an ideal for them because they can go in there they can do their treatment but they can also do their harvesting as the market is available and what I like about it too is that a lot I mentioned the shade trees yes you can use economic crops she crops yes that you can gain from it also exactly avocado, pears, citrus and so on as opposed to only Immotel yes so you have a mixed crop system that you know you know that would really benefit from it and even short-term crops you know while you plant in there you don't plant your short-term vegetables in between yes and what it can appear cover at least you're getting some money exactly and that brings me to the whole value added yes we have a cocoa from entry is sitting at Angers there that need be commissioned and I'm happy that you know I can mention now we have taken a decision to grant it to a group and soon from now the group will be taking this facility on and you know getting it operational very good we I just visited the the Balbo no the far so agro processing plant you know parliamentary regional but yesterday I had a good discussion as to you know how we can get moving in operation because there are lots that can be done there are so many you know I take machines that I saw there you know and we have to make use of it but a good thing is that they are persons who are knocking the doors of the ministry in the interest you know in wanting to take on the facility I cannot have such an important facility sitting there closed so we are looking at the possibility of doing that and ensuring that we can get into the whole value added agro processing you know because every time I participated in this festival in those festivals I see the value you know fascinated by that you know you know I mean these people deserve place in society where they can display their product and also think of exporting yes yes yes I mean watch what was your mountain money from the CMOS industry yes six million dollars with the help of export export St. Lucia you know and I when I look at the value I had a guy here with me you know on Wednesday and I saw they might have 20 products right here right there you know I mean it's amazing what you can do yes so we have to take those we have to move to the next step yes taking all those products and exporting yes yes definitely and the good thing about it look like the cocoa we have chocolate beans and I mean the rural women in in Miku there's a Miku chocolate we have we have can we have canries we have we have also have so Fred you know Jade Mountain you know and then the other other little you know cottage industries that they're doing it so we can do it and then of course don't forget the cocoa stick yes the big marketing and also in Martinique and Martinique I heard you know so we the market is available we need to take it and one of those challenges we have with you know the export market is you know transportation yes you know we need to really you know revamp and you know improve the transportation you know between countries so you can move you know easier processing is key in fact that's why after this this festival coming up on the 16th of October which is World Food Day which is the Seamos festival we are looking at the cocoa right back to back and we also looking at coconuts right so we need to show Saint Lucia what we can do and the rest of the world and what is amazing about our Seamos we produce that probably the best Seamos in the world yes yes you know and this is impacting the rural people so well that you know we must ensure that we you know we regulate it in a manner that there was a gold rush you know you like that drink of it I mean I had a lady here with me from from from Moshi and she said nothing to do nowhere to go they'll start walking the beach and he said let's do some Seamos and that is involved in a product there gummy gummy bears for the kids and Seamos and she will be at our thing too there is a lot and I and I just want to you know say that I am really looking for the resources that you know you know that are needed to really assist those persons in this because they need the support for them to be sustainable transportation you mentioned about which is market the market now we know that you had a trip to London not too long ago and you were told that there's so many other commodities that we can expect so tell us about that yes there is a there was a guy met and he's looking for mangoes avocados green and and and yellow coconut jelly coconuts plantain you know the yams and the dashes and hot peppers yes and and he's gonna be here sometime next month to go around to see how we can engage a number of the farmers to be able to you know generate some interest in being able to get those commodities you know exported but what I am I'm thinking based on my discussion of him I will be an excellent opportunity for the market board yes when grace this and begin the export of those commodities to the region as well as the UK because the demand is therefore a lot of the things we produce here and you know as you mentioned marketing board we have you know you've been having those farmers meetings they had one the other one night before yes night and limited ours I mean and I mean the feedback was really really really productive and a lot of it came to marketing of their crops and they have no well the that trust in marketing but it's still shaky yes so again I'm happy that you have a new a new manager and hoping that things might change because we need all what they need is to the assurance when they sell the following we didn't get the money you know yeah and that is a very good point you raising there as I always see the marketing board belongs to the farmers and the farmers would be more comfortable selling to what belongs to them but at the end of the day the farmers also have to think about their livelihoods they have to invest some of those funds from the sale of the produce yeah into into yes Peter Libber inputs and when you have a situation when the marketing body is unable to pay on time or unable to buy as many as much as possible it's gonna be for street in anti-motivating alright and the farmers in this case will have no choice but to go to Marcia and to other areas but I marketing bodies in a financial crisis now and it is a discussion that we have in the cabinet level and I'm hoping that soon from now we'll be able to you know relieve the marketing board in terms of giving them some financial support through what I say loan I think more likely it will be a loan right really get it back on his feet because the marketing board have quite a bit of money a few years back of course this export yes but you know it was mismanaged it was yeah those challenges are what you know the marketing body space now and I am looking hard to see how quickly we can get them to have the financial resources to be able to buy as much as possible from the farmers okay the farmers should not be asked to produce but yet when they are ready for office they have to wonder where am I going to sell it how much am I going to make you know who's going to pay me exactly exactly it is really I mean I am I'm I understand what the farmers go through it's not a nice thing for them but you know those challenges have been they are real really fine ways very critical definitely your constituency I know you have your fishers your farmers I know you have told them what you'll be doing as far as agriculture and fishing is concerned tell us yeah well my constituency I must say I am very thankful for you know some of the things that we have done I've been able to you know bring this the people in a conscience together and really make them understand this thing this thing is not about me on my own it's about everybody coming together and everybody coming to work towards the movement of the community we had this cleanup where most persons came and you know did this major cleanup on the beachfront we are now having activities trying to have activities every month to really revive and to get revamp the whole Saturday fish fiesta and two major events there we're hoping to have one at the end of every month until I can get the Saturday fish activity back to where it was I do not want to convince this activity this Saturday fish thing with the same you know tens and so on and I would like to see the ambience everything change drastically and we are working towards that at the council I must say thanks to them for the support but we are seeing the people beginning to embrace it they are happy with the activities we have and what we are doing is using a lot of our local talent and then we segment and look at the skills and really give back some of what you know they have I must say I've done quite a bit in terms of the whole social aspect the housing you know between August and now I've built almost 20 houses and I have paid quite a bit in terms of you know helping you know windows doors you know assistance with people building the roof etc I want to continue that and I want to you know urge the people out there and we really let them work together I am looking forward to improving just the fisheries facility the Daito because the conditions there in terms of the drainage in terms of the area where the fish cleaning has been done this place is in a very very bad state and I'm hoping that from funds that we that was approved for this financial year I can you know make some improvements there and other fishing facilities in St. Lucia I'm also working towards the whole land rationalization I'm in discussion with the people in the ministry to see how they can begin you know assisting the people in the obdainry who have been occupied in lands for more than 40 years they have huge buildings wall concrete buildings and they not own the land it's making it difficult for them to get a loan etc I'm hoping that we can begin that process to you know so that plus you know the young people building the capacity etc we look into is that I'm hoping the minister boy there's so much you can talk about it a lot but with our time thank you very much thank you for being here and I wish you success and I know in the new year coming in there a lot will be said and looking forward to get more projects thank you again I wish you success and God speed yes you've been watching every culture on the move with me of course on the black bread prospect minister for agriculture fish ways food security and real development telling us all his achievements and proposed projects to come thank you again remember our culture of business eat fresh St. Lucia's best I'm Philip Sidney goodbye I recall