 Forty farmers have graduated from the Manthlong Agribusiness Development Training of the Food and Agriculture Organization, FAO, making good on the Agriculture Ministries Agreement to ensure that the school feeding program is linked with farmers and food producers who can sustainably provide safe produce. Hosted from July 7th to August 3rd, the training sessions explored topics such as low usage of agrochemical inputs, post harvest handling, food safety, agribusiness management, and market linkages. It also afforded the participating farmers the opportunity to design agribusiness ideas which were launched at last week's graduation exercise. Mexican Ambassador to St. Lucia, his Excellency Luis Manuel López Moreno, in expressing his fascination with the business ideas and creative value-added commodities emanating from the agribusiness development training, says he is confident that the food offered to students through the school feeding program will be as varied and nourishing as all partners anticipate. I wish to express that it's an honor and satisfaction for me to participate in the ceremony that marks the graduation and signing of contracts of the farmers that have been trained under the umbrella of the Resilient School Feeding Program, which is part of the Mexico Carycon FAO, we say in Spanish, FAO initiative that is very simple to work and very important to work on that. The cooperation for climate change adaptation and resilience in the Caribbean, which has the main objective of mitigating the economic and social impact generated by the COVID-19. Pandemic in the region, and to which Mexico has dedicated more than 5.5 million US dollars benefiting 14 countries in the region, including the six existing Caribbean states. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development, Honourable Alfred Prosper, in highlighting the successful implementation of the agriculture component under the school feeding program, says this latest achievement with farmers is a step in the right direction as the ministry continues to champion food security for all. I wish you the farmers every success and assure that the fullest support of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development in your future milestone as we as a nation and ministry endeavor to realize food security for our people and most importantly the benefactors of this project, our school-aged children, the future of St Lucia. I also want to extend heartfelt thanks to the government and people of Mexico and the Food America Organization of the United Nations FAO for the unwavering support they have provided to the citizens of St Lucia and more specifically you, the hard-working committed farmers. Food security and ensuring that only the best produce reaches the tables of St Lucia is being given critical attention at this time and as the agriculture ministry continues to unravel its plan for this agenda item in the coming months, the spotlight will be placed on farmers, getting them better equipped and empowered to supply the country's market demands. From the communications unit of the Ministry of Agriculture, I am Anicia Antoine reporting.