November 10th 2022

Small farm machinery to boost efficiency of local farms

by Anicia Antoine, Ministry of Agriculture

A SHOWCASE WILL SOON BE UNDERWAY TO INTRODUCE FARMERS TO THE COSTS AND LOGISTICS OF ACCESSING THE MACHINERY.

The Ministry of Agriculture and the Taiwan Technical Mission are making strides toward improved food security with the introduction of small farm machinery.

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, Food Security and Rural Development, Hon. Alfred Prospere, had the opportunity to see first hand the shipment of small machinery brought in under the second phase of the “Enhancement of the Efficiency of the Production-Distribution Supply Chain in the Fruits and Vegetable Sector” Project, also known as the Seven Crops Project. The shipment, which includes tillers and cultivators, aims to reduce farmers' reliance on labour, while increasing efficiency and optimizing land use, ultimately improving farmers' quality of life.

Ambassador of the Republic of China (Taiwan) to Saint Lucia, H.E Peter Chia-yen Chen explained that using modern agricultural machinery is critical to improving a farm's efficiency. He added that the Taiwanese government remains committed to assisting Saint Lucia's agriculture sector’s transition to more advanced farming methods, and that he is looking forward to the outcome.

Hon. Minister Prospere said the introduction of small machinery is part of efforts to make the agriculture sector more attractive to the youth. He emphasized the importance of adapting to farm mechanization as one of the innovations that could be critical to future food security, because it allows farmers to produce more crops at a lower cost.

The next phase of the initiative will be a public showcase to introduce farmers to the logistics of accessing the machinery as well as its cost.

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