New varieties of fruits and vegetables to strengthen Grenada’s food security structure

by Linda Straker

• New fruits and vegetables to be introduced to farming community
• New varieties part of research at Chinese Agricultural Mission in St David
• Donation will positively affect strengthening Grenada’s food security structure

The Ministry of Agriculture in conjunction with the Chinese Agricultural Mission will be introducing some new varieties of fruits and vegetables to the farming community.

“The ministry looks forward with great anticipation for the commencement for the trials of many new varieties of fruits and vegetables. We believe this will provide farmers with an opportunity to be exposed to new varieties and techniques for increasing they production,” Agriculture Minister, Yolande Bain-Horsford, said while addressing a ceremony in which the Chinese Mission handed over agricultural machinery valued over EC$1 million.

Though she did not publicly provide information about the new varieties that will be introduced to the island, it is understood that most of the testing and trials of planting the new varieties will be conducted as part of research at the Chinese Agricultural Mission in St David.

Earlier last week, Bain-Horsford in a national address, announced that government has agreed to an agricultural stimulus package. The donation will positively affect the various agricultural initiatives aimed at strengthening Grenada’s food security structure.

Bain-Horsford expressed her high gratitude to the Chinese Government and people for the timely assistance to Grenada which is occurring during the global Covid-19 epidemic. “These much-needed machineries donated by the Chinese side will help the agriculture sector recover from the impact of Covid-19.” She spoke highly of the agriculture experts from China and expressed commitment to deepen the bilateral cooperation in agriculture. “The stimulus package provides an excellent start to boost the production, marketing and distribution of agricultural produce. I am also confident that the material and equipment received today will play a major role in the ministry’s mitigation efforts at this time,” she said.

On Friday, 5 June, Dr Zhao Yongchen, Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the People’s Republic of China to Grenada, handed over the batch of agricultural machinery to Bain-Horsford in the presence of representatives from both countries, at the China-Aid Agricultural Demonstration Centre in La Sagesse, St David.

The ambassador believes the machinery will help Grenada to resume agricultural production and improve farmers’ livelihood. “China is willing to deepen the bilateral cooperation in various fields under the framework of the Belt and Road Initiative, boost the economic and social development of Grenada, and strengthen the friendship between China and Grenada,” he said.

With the total value of EC$1.2 million, the donation includes wheeled tractors, trucks, rotary tillers, along with other equipment and fertilisers. The donation is under the framework of China-Aid Agricultural Technical Cooperation Project Phase 7.