AGRICULTURE SECTOR IN ST. KITTS & NEVIS RECEIVES PRAISE FROM ANGUILLA’S MINISTER OF NATURAL RESOURCES

(Basseterre, St. Kitts, May 20, 2022):
The development of the Agricultural Sector in St. Kitts-Nevis has received high praise from
Anguilla’s Minister of Economic Development, Natural Resources and Information Technology, Hon.
Kyle Hodge following a brief study tour of the twin island federation last month.
The Honourable Minister who holds responsibility for the Agriculture sector in Anguilla, spoke of the
experience during a national press conference on May 9, 2022.
He said, “Myself, along with the Chief Officer, Ms. Melissa Meade both would have visited the
islands of St. Kitts and Nevis to conduct what we call a study tour of their agriculture and fisheries
sector over there. What I can say is that the trip, it lived up to expectation. We were able to see a lot of
what they are doing as it relates to agriculture, farming, livestock and fisheries; a lot of things that we
are still not doing as it relates to government departments”.
The Anguillan Natural Resources Minister used the opportunity to highlight what he says is an
extremely important component in enhancing the agriculture sector in St. Kitts and Nevis.
He explained how pleasing it was to see how the government departments carry the responsibility of
facilitating the marketing of goods for farmers, as opposed to how it is done in Anguilla.
“What is different in St. Kitts and Nevis is that they have depots and when I say depots, I mean the
fisher focuses on fishing. He or she does not have to worry about the marketing and the selling and
the pricing. The department is responsible for purchasing and also distributing to the supermarkets
and the hotels and the restaurants etc [which] is something that we will look into here for those who
are interested, even to the backyard farmers. So we are looking into that”, he stated.
The Minister added that what he has seen on his trip to St. Kitts and Nevis is evidence of the
government’s focus on the development of the sector.
“It’s a huge sector in both countries, so it is evident that over the years they would have taken these
sectors very seriously as it related to putting in the investment and making sure that the facilities are
there to support these sectors”, Hodge expressed.
During the tour, the two-member delegation met with the former Minister of Agriculture, Alexis
Jeffers, Permanent Secretary Ron Dublin Collins on St. Kitts, Huey Sergeant on Nevis and several
members of the management and staff in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources.
The team also visited the Department of Marine Resources, the Basseterre and Old Road Fisheries
Facilities, Green Leaf Aquaponics Farm, the St. Kitts Abattoir, the Department of Agriculture, the
Agro-Processing Centre and several agricultural facilities on Nevis.