The disastrous set of circumstances in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, which endured a succession of volcanic eruptions a few weeks back that left the country in a state of calamity, is going to affect food access and affordability, according to Saboto Caesar, the Eastern Caribbean nation’s Agriculture Minister. According to his calculations, the native people are going to suffer from agricultural losses of over 150 million dollars.
Heavy ash fall struck Saint Vincent and the Grenadines during the outburst of the La Soufrière volcano, one since April 1979, which triggered tremors and compelled the relocation of over 20 thousand inhabitants. As per assessments submitted by workers of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) in the Caribbean nation, the United Nations (UN), and local officials, the disaster has pushed the country into a full fledge crisis and catastrophe.
The minister said this during his talk at IICA Special Advisory commission on Management Issues (SACMI):
“Our people are on the verge of a disaster in agriculture, fishery, transport networks, and other sections.” We have issues that threaten our integrity and food security; food cost, usability, and supply are jeopardized.”
“On behalf of the government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, I would like to express my gratitude to the partner organizations and nations who have conveyed their cooperation, as well as the Director General of IICA, Manuel Otero, for his guidance and the guidance we already have garnered from the Institute he manages.
Appreciate the efforts thus far. We require this aid to handle the humanitarian disaster that we are now confronting.”
Minister Caesar predicted that the Island country’s government will eventually unveil “a framework for the restoration of the agriculture sector,” an endeavor for which he also solicited aid and support.
According on his evaluation of the effects on the agriculture industry, the Agriculture Minister assessed that the loss is worth “upwards of 150 million dollars, producing substantial adverse implications on family farming and small scale-producers in the nation,” as well as the agriculture industry’s share of the Economy.
“Notwithstanding this, I am relieved to know that we can rely on our IICA associates, as well as IICA itself, to restore agribusiness in a more sustainable manner. I’d want to emphasize the significance of this exchange, and I am optimistic that we will remain getting the assistance at this tough period. I am ask that you make every effort to deploy resources in the most efficient way possible to aid growers, fishers, and many others in distress. We will deliver a paper to IICA in the coming days and proceed from there,” Mr. Caesar expected.
Aside from mobilizing its people and economic resources, IICA assisted in the delivery of 1,200 nutritional aid packages to agriculture producers, a job overseen by Minister Caesar.
Agriculture farmers in the country’s “red zone” – the areas most impacted by the volcanoes – had to transfer cattle to secure their survival.
