 The Banana Productivity Improvement Project, BPIP, has been working to increase farmer productivity and revitalize the banana industry in St Lucia with a view of restoring farmer confidence. With domestic banana production hammed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which has been exacerbated by recent disasters such as Hurricane Irma, Taiwan's technical mission continues to show their support with their most recent check donation to the Banana Productivity Improvement Project. Ambassador of Taiwan to St Lucia, His Excellency Peter Cheyenne Chen, says Taiwan will continue to provide assistance to St Lucia's agriculture industry as they work to strengthen their bilateral relationship. We continue to support the Banana Productivity Improvement Project and Taiwan is committed to providing reliable assistance and incorporating new and innovation technologies to St Lucia's agriculture industry. I have the privilege to accompany Minister Prosper to visit the Taiwan Technical Mission headquarter right after Minister assumed his post and learned about his vision of future agriculture development in St Lucia. I believe through our agriculture cooperation, Taiwan and St Lucia will be able to join hands to achieve the United Nations sustainable development goals 2.3 to increase agricultural productions and the income of food producers. Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries Rural Development and Food Security Hon. Alfred Prosper expressed gratitude on behalf of the people of St Lucia to the Government of Taiwan for the significant contribution they have made to the agricultural sector and the country's overall economic growth. Minister Prosper noted that a sum of $3.2 million has been budgeted for the fiscal year 2021-2022 with $500,000 EC dollars coming from the BPIP Revolving Fund. With the severe and almost complete destruction of our banana industry, this support will go towards rehabilitation of fields, improving drainage, improving farm irrigation, farmer training and certification, pest and disease control and lessening the dependence on agrochemicals. However, beyond these traditional project activities and productivity enhancement, the Government will now place strategic emphasis on the marketing of bananas. While we will continue to strengthen relationships with traditional markets along with partners like Export St Lucia, we will also seek our new partners and markets. This strategy is to eliminate over reliance on one market and build resilience in the industry. Although the Banana Productivity Improvement Project is set to continue within the Ministry until March 2022, Minister Prosper affirms that the St Lucia Government, in collaboration with the Taiwanese Government, will continue to assist in improving St Lucia's food security and the well-being of St Lucia's farmers. From the Communications Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture, I am Anicia Antoine reporting.