 The Department of Agriculture and Sustainable Development have joined forces to launch the Building Resilience, or Adaptation to Climate Change and Climate Variability, in agriculture in St Lucia project. This project is funded by the Adaptation Fund and implemented by the Caribbean Development Bank. And it's a Antoine Report. St Lucia, like many other small island development states, is highly vulnerable to natural disasters due to its geography, location, climate, and geology. The Building Resilience, or Adaptation to Climate Change and Climate Variability in Agriculture in St Lucia project aims to improve the resilience of rural farm communities by increasing farm productivity, water and livelihood security, and reducing vulnerability to natural hazards, climate variability, and climate change. The project's targets include interventions for water security, soil conservation and management, the integration of renewable energy practices to increase efficiency and knowledge management and transfer to improve adaptive capacities. Minister for Agriculture, Fish Rees Rural Development and Food Security, Honourable Alfred Prosper says in the face of more frequent and severe agricultural losses, such as the recent impact of hurricane Elsa and farmers having little to no insurance coverage, developing a resilient agricultural sector is critical. Noticeably, the project seeks to build on existing efforts, soil and slope stabilization, being done by the Forestry Department under the John Compton Dam project and the IWECO project in areas of Millet and Fonsejac, respectively. Also targeted are water conservation measures to complement some of the work that are currently ongoing with respect to rainwater harvesting initiatives, increasing water storage capacity and enhancement of irrigation systems under the Seven Crops project and the Banana Productivity Improvement project. I wish to express on behalf of the Government of St Lucia, sincere appreciation to the Adaptation Fund, especially to the Board and all those involved in the approval process who ensured that St Lucia was able to secure his grant. The Department of Sustainable Development is the designated National Authority responsible for maintaining communication between the Funding Agency, the Adaptation Fund and the Implementing Agency, the Caribbean Development Bank. Minister with Responsibility for Sustainable Development, Honourable Sean Edward expressed gratitude to the agencies for making resources available to support St Lucia's agricultural resilience efforts. Indeed, the launch of this project is being done at a time when St Lucia must demonstrate its fortitude as a country as we find ways to recover from the COVID-19 pandemic which has eaten away at the economic, social and cultural landscapes. We have confidence that this project will provide meaningful and sustainable benefits to the farmers and community members in the five agriculture regions in which it will be rolled out and by extension to the economy of St Lucia at large. The cost of the building resilience or adaptation to climate change and climate variability in agriculture project in St Lucia is estimated to be 9.1 million US dollars. From the Communications Unit of the Ministry of Agriculture, I am Manicia Antoine reporting.