Nevis making strides in revitalising its coconut industry
Discussion details
The Ministry of Agriculture has reported success in its drive to vitalise the coconut industry on Nevis.
Minister responsible for Agriculture in the Nevis Island Administration Hon. Alexis Jeffers made the disclosure when he delivered a report on the status of Agriculture at the 8th Consultation on the Economy on October 16, 2014. It was held at the Nevis Performing Arts Centre with the theme “Expanding Opportunities for Prosperity and Equity”.
“My Ministry has embarked on a drive to revitalise the coconut industry here on the island. The drive was started earlier this year during our second annual Agriculture Awareness Month in May. We made a call for individuals to donate coconut plants and the response was commendable with positive response as far as from St Croix.
“The Department has since established a coconut nursery at New River which will be used to propagate coconuts from which plants will eventually be used for a replanting programme on the island,” he said.
Meantime, Mr. Jeffers also used the opportunity to speak on the Ministry’s continued promotion of agriculture and what it had done in recent months to raise the islands agriculture profile.
“Promotion of Agriculture is very high on the agenda for the Ministry and Department of Agriculture. We are very serious where this industry is concerned and therefore, we have embarked on a promotion drive like no other. We have taken promotion to another level, we have gone international.
“We are now leading the charge, not in the Federation but the wider region and internationally in promoting Agriculture as a viable industry, one that is full of opportunities and one that is essential to our wellbeing. Through the programme “Agriculture In Style” we have so far been able to expose our stakeholders in the crop, livestock and agro processing. We believe that through this medium, more persons and in particular young individuals, would be attracted to the industry,” he said.
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