On Tuesday, March 17, The Hon. Dr. Terrance Drew, Chair of CARICOM and Prime Minister of St. Kitts and Nevis, emphasized the critical role of agriculture in achieving food security and fostering sustainable development.

During the launch of the Regional Economical Agri-Insurance Programme (REAP) in St. Kitts and Nevis, Prime Minister Drew highlighted that agriculture must be prioritized and integrated into the core of national development strategies, rather than treated as a peripheral activity, as per a CARICOM release . He underscored that agriculture is essential for building a resilient and sustainable island nation.

In his keynote address, Prime Minister Drew contextualized the initiative within regional cooperation efforts.

“CARICOM has come through. We just had the 50th Regular Meeting here in St. Kitts and Nevis. And for those who doubt whether CARICOM is valuable or not, of course you recognise that this is an initiative that has been led by CARICOM. St. Kitts and Nevis alone could not have done this. This is the value of CARICOM,” he stated.

He also highlighted the vital importance of the farming community and the vulnerabilities faced by farmers and fishers due to natural disasters, which can cause extensive damage.

“Imagine one event can wipe out millions of dollars in investment with no guarantee that you will receive some form of compensation,” he remarked.

Prime Minister Drew explained that REAP offers a safety net for registered farmers and fishers, providing a guarantee to mitigate risks: “so that you can have some ease of mind that you can continue to practice your craft, and in the event that a phenomenon were to happen, that you would be protected and get back to activities as quickly as possible.”

He reportedly emphasized that investing in this insurance product, primarily benefiting crop farmers, livestock producers, and fishers, is a fundamental step toward strengthening the agricultural sector.

According to the press release, among those who delivered remarks at the launch were St. Kitts and Nevis Agriculture Minister, the Hon. Samal Duggins; CARICOM Assistant Secretary-General for Economic Integration, Innovation and Development, Dr. Wendell Samuel; Gregory Rose, Chairman and CEO of Lynch Caribbean Brokers Ltd.; Damian Bowen, Managing Director of Lynch Caribbean Brokers Ltd.; and Ms. Diana Williams-Humphrey, General Manager of National Caribbean Insurance.

This event marked the third launch of REAP, following similar initiatives in Guyana and Saint Lucia, as the Caribbean region advances its 25×25+5 food security initiative, which aims to cut food imports by 25 percent by the year 2030.

Source - https://dominicanewsonline.com