 Welcome to the program, Agriculture on the Move. My name is Philip Sidney, your host. Today with me is Dr. Donatian Gustave, who is the project manager for BRAC VAS, a long acrimonial, but you will know more about it pretty soon. But before this, I would welcome you to the program, sir. Pleasure afternoon, Mr. Sidney. It's a pleasure to be here. Definitely. Before we go into the program, I just want to introduce you to know who is Donatian Gustave. Who wants you? I'm a forester by excellence, but I also have a background in environmental negotiations. Top it up with strategic agriculture engineering and the creme de la creme. I love to be in processes and powering people, especially in agriculture and rural development. Great. So your last position was with Forestry? Forestry department assistant chief officer. Beautiful. Beautiful. So now with your new portfolio, BRAC VAS, long acrimonial, tell us about it. What does it stand for? Well, it is the BRAC VAS project, so it's for a limited time. And the B, Staff and B, Building Resilience for Adaptation to Climate Change and Climate Variability in St. Lucia. Great. So who are the organizations funding that program? We must mention the adaptation fund. They are the ones facilitating the finance of this project. Okay. At the same time, the implementing agency is the Caribbean Development Bank. I must also highlight the national authority for this project, the Sustainable Development and the executing agency is the Ministry of Agriculture. Okay. Okay. What's the real main objective of that program? Again, it's a project, it's not going to continue. It's going to be for, at this point in time, two years with the possibility of extension. And this project hopes to build resilience amongst stakeholders, in particular the institutions that give support to agriculture and rural development, but also and very importantly to personnel, the farmers, and in particular, agro-processors. But it's not only about building resilience, it's about facilitating growth in the sector as we all know there's a high import bill and we also know that we are very susceptible to climate change and climate variability. So the strategy is to empower all these personnel I mentioned so that they are better able to adapt to climate change. I notice you all identified regions one, two, six and seven. Why those strategic regions? First, I think there were surveys before my time and the island was prioritized. So for example, if I look at the east of Saint-Michel, you've had programs, projects such as the Iron Order Project and the Southeast Coast Project. But on the west, there have been fewer projects with this type of intended impact. So at this point, I think the aim is to have a holistic view of all parts of Saint-Michel getting the support necessary to adapt to climate change, to build capacity amongst stakeholders and to make food security much more plausible, feasible. What sort of funding are we looking at in terms of money? It's a total of 11 million U.S. So there are three components and in one case for building resilience, it's about three million dollars for the establishment of agro parks. It's approximately 2.8 million U.S. And in the case of knowledge and communications management, it is roughly two million U.S. Okay. You mentioned agro processing. You also mentioned the farmers. In what areas that the farmers are going to benefit directly? Directly. It's going to be in any aspect of production, but I want to specify crops, livestock and agro processing in any field, whether it be with honey, whether it be with crops, whether it be with meat. Whatever agro processing products, this will be facilitated. Yeah, but for the average man listening here, it's kind of broad. In other words, okay, there is somebody involved in CMOS production, okay? And also in the processing of CMOS, how can that project assist that person? Okay. It's a case first of the extension officers, both in livestock and fisheries. But in fisheries, I want to highlight it is the component of aquaculture that we are targeting. So it's not specifically targeting the fisheries sector in general, but specifically aquaculture. So it's a case of having contact with these personnel and we, in turn, are conducting assessments on the ground. In fact, from the last two months, we've been engaged in trying to determine continuous groups where you have similar issues or problems. For example, areas that have drought, areas that have excess rainfall, or areas where you have slopes, you're talking about vulnerability, the project must address and reduce vulnerability. So it first starts with assessments. But assessments are also for the assets that exist within the region. And to minimize the vulnerabilities and leverage the assets, the classic extension model where we are diffusing technologies together with empowerment of these people. Permit me to say that this project will not work without the participation of the farmer and agro-processors. So you're going to see a massive effort to get people on the ground to participate in this project. So look out region one, two, six, and seven, it's happening. So again, I want to find out if, for example, a farmer who's involved in crop production and he wants a greenhouse, he wants to establish drip irrigation systems, will that project assist him directly? That's a good question. So we start with assessments, then we start to prioritize. Because at some point, there must be commitment, but apart from commitment, there's going to be a selection criteria and that criteria informs prioritization and we can work with those farmers who have expressed who's the willingness and they must have some kind of infrastructure. The land, for example, must be theirs, there are different processes we need to ensure that is in place. But having said that, we are in a position to try to facilitate all the farmers. In fact, the document speaks to targeting 12,000 individuals. So farmers and agro-processors look out. I can also see the Ministry of Agriculture, including forestry, including WRMA, all these institutions as well. We're going to get a major boost of training, we're going to get a major boost of equipment to facilitate and enhance what we do to adapt and to be more resilient to climate change. So again, I want to understand you clearly for the farmers can understand. So I notice your PRA is going to be set up, which is a participatory rule assessment. Getting that information coming from the various regions, then you will prioritize, right? So a farmer needs, say for example, like I said, an irrigation system, will that be given to him based on your assessment? I'm saying, it's possible to make it, but what we need to do is to have all these problems to make it easier for farmers to get access to the In all of us, learning a system of bond, in suffering, learning a place you can create, manage, learning glow that can push you to the level of four, and the rush, learning place that has three places that you can grow, and at the same time, learning place that can make you grow. In each stage, learning a place that can make you grow, you can create something new. But, learning a place that can make you grow in a dry season, for example, I know how to do it, it's for you to work with learning a place, learning a place where everyone can benefit, learning a place that is as much possible to help us in our situation. If it is not possible to help a lot more, you can do it. Okay okay, no self, no self, learning a place that you can grow in is an assistant player. Okay? Now who is a self-ink lingersai group, farmer, see a servant. Is there a group that you think is important? I think that there is a group. I don't know if there is a group. I mentioned a young group. I don't know if there is a group. But the solution there to come up. Real women. Yes, real women. We are working with this group in region one and two. And we hope to give priority to women, to vulnerable groups, to the youth especially. So the former project, the year project, we're looking at facilitating the new, the farmers who have continued, how can we facilitate or empower them to continue doing farming, to take advantage of farming, to enhance not just their livelihood, but to make more food available for some measure. Okay, so right now you all are going around to sensitize the public within those regions about the project. We are doing that, but even more importantly, you notice you said participatory approach. Now, when we do these assessments and we have the similar groups, we aim to go to all of these groups. This project is going to be known as one where we work on the ground, where we know the issues from the point of view of the people on the ground. And having done that, we can prioritize groups. Yes, in particular, women, youth, vulnerable groups, young boys, we are here for you. Brack Vass. Brack Vass. The Brack Vass project. That's great. Thank you for our break. You are watching Agriculture in the Moves. Stay tuned. Go and go away. Moinstore. 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 ministry facilitates the development and promotion of sustainable agriculture and food chain systems, the provision of affordable supplies of safe, high-quality nutritious food and efficient services. One of its support programs is in the field of banana production, including the establishment of the Black Sacred Hoka Management Unit, sales and distribution of fungicides and oil at subsidized cost, technical and extension support and market access facilitation. For further information, contact the project coordinator at 725-0444. Welcome back to the program, Agriculture on the Move. If you're tuning in late, with me is Dr. Donatian Gustav, who is the manager for the project, Brack Vass. And he explained and will continue to explain what does Brack Vass mean and do. But, doc, in terms of capacity building, I'm hoping that there is a training component, because you mentioned the rural women network. You talk about vulnerable young persons out there and farmers. In terms of the sensitization, after you have identified those persons, there should be and will be a training component. But will it only be for farmers or it will also be for the extension officers? Okay, first, I want to identify that we have a project management unit. And thus far, I want to acknowledge that without them, a lot of what has happened would not be possible. I want to also highlight that that unit will consist of, by the end of August, it's most likely, that it will have a knowledge and communication specialist and, just as important, an agro-processing and an agro-park development manager. So, in terms of building capacity, there should be more than 100 workshops according to the project document that addresses needs. Remember, we said the prior participatory rural assessment approach. So, having identified the needs, this is when we start to target messages, when we start to develop strategies for the different subgroups. So, yes, for extension, we have strategies to enhance the capacity for all the sectors, because ideally, if the farmers do not get exposed to the techniques, to the technologies, if they don't have markets or some idea of how to do assessments of data, to look at niches, to look at how to differentiate our products, how to add value, then we follow this difficult. Remember, we want to build growth, we want to build resilience, and at the same time, we want to empower the society on the whole, but in particular, the different actors who enable agriculture and rural development on the ground. You mentioned earlier, which is very, very crucial, and that's what the ministry is doing when you look at our growth, our food import bill, yeah? Marketing is a key component. You're going out there, you are enabling those persons and groups to, of course, basically to increase production and also to increase the money in pockets. How are you going to organize whether the marketing, are you all involved in assisting in marketing of the product for those persons, the agro processors, the farmers? I'll repeat two specialists that we have on board that should facilitate that process. The agro processing specialists and the agro park development manager. These persons are going to be actively developing approaches that can be used as demonstration plots. One dimension of this project, which we've not discussed, is the establishment of climate change learning centers. The agro parks as well will also have technologies that can show, that can demonstrate to farmers, to schools, even to the extent of tourist technologies that we can use for extreme conditions of drought, of excess water, of slope, how to manage slopes. So, I'm agreeing with you, yes, we are going to partner, especially with other projects, such as the seven crop project, such as the upcoming silk project. All of these we believe there should be synergies and when we look at the master plan, even for livestock, even looking at the strategy and policy for livestock management, we are on board because it is not a project in isolation, it is a complex network of persons that have a vested interest in agriculture and agriculture development. So, yes, marketing is key. In fact, it is one of the most critical points of the project. In fact, if we think of gluts in St. Lucia, you would appreciate why this project has an agro processing dimension, so that the gluts will be in a better position to know how to manage these gluts with the food that should be more readily available. I want to highlight one case in particular. In the case of forestry, from 2015 to date, we have been establishing agro forestry plots from January to millet, even in Souffre and in Vufort. I want to underscore or make special mention of January and millet, where this was driven by farmers, farmers brought the seeds, and we gave the farmers the plants. So, from 2015 to date, if we do an inventory and we know those areas with agro forestry plants and there's more than 100 crop species, that three crop species, I would say, that was given to farmers, we are in a position to better have more produce to know when, and to target the agro processing plants so that they would know this is available so that we can develop a system of whether it is a depot or other livelihoods that can facilitate transport from the areas that are known to the areas where you have agro processing plants. So, yes, it's a project, we have some fundamental actions, but we believe in an integrated approach where we partner with all the other agencies to make this reality. You mentioned agro parks, explain this. Okay, it's a system of management. Currently, there's an agro park, an agro tourism park in Souffre. In Fort Sezac. In Fort Sezac, in particular. Now this agro tourism park in Fort Sezac, it's community driven. What it hopes to do is to develop sustainable development or livelihoods that do not impact negatively on the environment. That same concept is being brought in a different way where the technologies are being brought in one place. We're hoping to bring farmers to work within the agro park as well. But we also hope to influence farmers in the vicinity of the agro park and also island wide. So this project is going to have two agro parks, one in the north and the other in region seven, Rozo. So at this point in time, we're going to have, for sure, we're going to have two agro parks. And the hope is to use these agro parks to diffuse technology, farmer fields, schools, demonstration plots, the classic concepts in extension education. I'm interested in the agro park for region seven. Where's that in Rozo? And what does it entail? Okay. It is targeted in the windband area. So at this point in time, we are trying to finalize the assigning of this land to the Ministry of Agriculture and to this project. So it would entail setting up a climate change living center. It would also entail the establishment of an agro park with all of the services related to agriculture. We're in an area that is wet. So there must be systems of drainage. Here's an example of we can take maybe 40 hectares of land, roughly 80 acres and try to show approaches, sustainable approaches for agriculture and rural development using the latest technology, the varieties, the irrigation, the storage, all of these, the greenhouses as well. Aquaponics, these are going to be the centers of learning, the centers of excellence to show agriculture development. Rozo is a peculiar area, I'll tell you why, because you mentioned drainage as a fact. In the rainy season, drainage is key. But in the dry season, we need irrigation and that's why the reservoir was built. Are you all going to utilize that reservoir in your whole agro park system? We are jumping ahead that in the design, these are factors that are going to be considered. It is likely, yes. We can also think of rain, water, harvesting systems. We can also think of a river that's near and to be able to pump water from one location to the next. So all of these are the very same strategies that we preach to farmers. A different farmer can come to a site and see aquaponics, can see all of the above used. It is very likely that for those persons who don't adopt the technology early, the lagers and those in between, it's a possibility of trying to influence them to get them on board. I know there was a youth agro entrepreneurship program in the ministry. Are you all going to probably engage those youth that were involved in the program to give them some assistance moving forward? In fact, this group was highlighted in the project document. Now, at the time the project was written, they were in existence. But we are discovering, for example, in Souffre, I think, I don't recall the name of the police, but there is an area that was assigned in Chazelle, not Souffre. And we've noticed that these persons need assistance from the greenhouse covering to water storage. All of these actions that I can give you an interest in dynamic, most of the people in that site are above 30 years. It's, I think, one person or two that are below 30 years and they're closer to 30. So, yes, the youth, but we're still looking for that younger segment. We have approached the National Youth Council, so I'm taking this opportunity to appeal to the Ministry of Youth Sports. There is this project that is targeting youth. We want to empower them. We want to show them the alternative. So they say they have strategic plans for that sector of the population of youth. We can work with you and we want to make sure that persons are empowered. The tools are there. The equipment is there. We're looking forward to working with you. Definitely. Well, exciting is the head of agriculture. We have really come to the end of the program. Mr. Dr. Gustav, I wish you success in doing all what you're doing, and I know there will be results moving on the road. Great, I appreciate that, Mr. Sidney. I also look forward to making agriculture development, agricultural development possible through the brand last project. Thank you very much. Thank you. You've been watching Agriculture on the Move. We thank you for viewing the program. And remember, again, I've always said, agriculture is our business, and eat fresh. It's the Lucia's best. Thank you for viewing. Goodbye. Agriculture on the Move. Agriculture on the Move.