Grenada: OECS Governments Encouraged to Provide Crown Lands to Farmers

The Director General of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), Dr. Didacus Jules, recently called on the governments of the sub-region to facilitate access to crown lands under transparent terms. He emphasized that the rates should be manageable enough to enable young individuals to significantly contribute to agricultural development in the region. This statement was made during the opening ceremony of the OECS Youth and Women in Agriculture Symposium.

Dr. Jules highlighted the importance of ensuring that young farmers can secure land under a 10-year arrangement that banks would recognize as collateral. He stated, “Every other intervention we make is diminished if a young person has nowhere to stand.” He also stressed that inclusion in agricultural initiatives must be structural rather than merely ceremonial.

Notably, he pointed out that individuals with disabilities had registered in meaningful numbers for the symposium, urging the organizers to design forums, training, and financial instruments that consider their needs rather than treating them as an afterthought.

The symposium, hosted by the OECS Commission in collaboration with Grenada’s Ministry of Agriculture, Lands and Forestry, aims to provide participants with practical training in various areas including agribusiness development, climate-smart agriculture, digital innovation, leadership, and access to finance and markets. Key focus areas identified by the organizers include climate-resilient farming, agribusiness and digital skills, finance and market access, as well as regional networking and policy.

Dr. Jules expressed hope that the symposium would yield more than goodwill, advocating for the establishment of the OECS Agriculture Forum for Youth as a formal institution with a defined structure and mandate. He emphasized that while the OECS Commission and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) could support it, the forum must ultimately belong to the youth to ensure its sustainability.

He also mentioned the need for an information portal to be co-managed by the OECS Commission and IICA, with a target date for delivery agreed upon before the delegates leave Grenada. Dr. Jules remarked on the current challenges facing the Caribbean region, noting that the global order which small states have navigated is increasingly unstable. He pointed out that trade rules are being rewritten unilaterally, leading to new disputes and increased tariffs that act as instruments of coercion.

He highlighted the economic vulnerability of the region, stating that the Caribbean imports the majority of what it consumes at a cost of approximately US$658 million annually. This financial outflow, he noted, represents a loss of resources that could otherwise be invested in local education and development.

Dr. Jules underscored the critical importance of self-sufficiency in food production, stating, “In a fracturing world, the capacity to feed ourselves is the most concrete expression of sovereignty available to a small state. If you cannot feed yourself, you’re dead.” He pointed out that the average age of farmers in the Caribbean indicates that the capacity for self-sufficiency is at risk of being lost within a generation.

Despite these challenges, he commended the regional governments for their decision to integrate women into the youth agriculture program, recognizing that the barriers faced by both groups are largely similar. He also acknowledged the involvement of organizations representing differently-abled individuals, citing successful initiatives such as an aquaponics facility established by the Association of Persons with Disabilities in St. Lucia.

Dr. Jules concluded by noting that while progress has been made in various agricultural initiatives, challenges such as land access and financial institution interest rates remain unresolved. He expressed optimism that upcoming meetings with IICA would address requests for agricultural scholarships and finalize an agribusiness diploma program for youth and women. He reiterated that achieving food security in the region requires sustained efforts, stating, “It becomes secure, food secure, one farm, one cooperative, one young woman, one differently-abled entrepreneur with a business plan at a time.”

Source: nowgrenada.com