Ladies and gentlemen, fellow farmers,
After the passage of the devastating Hurricane Beryl, we, the Grenada Cooperative Nutmeg Association (GCNA) and Grenada Cocoa Association (GCA), are deeply saddened by the loss of life and livelihoods. However, we stand as a united community, bound by our shared common love for the land we cultivate and our commitment to each other.
The storm has come and left its mark of destruction and devastation. We know that many of us are still grappling with the losses — life, livestock, various crops and, for some, even more personal losses. Our hearts ache with yours and we stand here not just as Chairpersons or Directors, but as fellow farmers who not only understand the profound sense of pain, loss and suffering, but also the profound connection we all have to our lands and our livelihoods. We take this moment to express our sympathy to those who lost loved ones and to show empathy to the many who are suffering due to the passage of the dreadful storm.
We acknowledge the pain and the hardship we are all facing locally and across the region, and we stand in solidarity with our neighbouring brothers and sisters in the agricultural sector who are also feeling destitution. It is important to recognise and honour our struggles, but it is equally important to remember the strength and resilience that define us as a people. We have weathered many storms before (Janet 1955, Ivan 2004, Emily 2005), and while this one may have been particularly fierce and destructive, it will not break our spirit.
Although we are all deeply saddened by the events of the hurricane, at the same time, we are comforted to announce to our farmers that the GCNA and the GCA have partnered with the Government of Grenada to provide crop insurance for our nutmeg and cocoa farmers sensing the fragility of these crops during the hurricane season. As a result of the action of the boards and government, we can assure farmers that assistance will come to them in a timely manner, sooner rather than later.
In times like these, our resilience is tested. Yet it is in these moments that our true strength shines through. We are a community that knows how to come together in unity, how to rebuild better and stronger, and how to support each other. Our nutmeg and cocoa fields may be severely battered, but we are not defeated. Our homes may have been damaged, but we are not destroyed. Our hearts may be heavy and broken but they are still beating with the resolve to restore what we have lost.
We want to assure you, the hardworking farmers of our beautiful island Grenada, that we, the board of Directors of GCNA and GCA, are here to support you every step of the way as we partner with the government in taking charge of the recovery process. We want to let you know that along with the Ministry of Agriculture, we are mobilising resources, reaching out to government departments and coordinating with relief organisations to ensure that help is on its way for you. We are committed to restoring not just our farms but our sense of security, prosperity and hope.
Let us take inspiration from the very crops we tend to. Just as a seed must be buried in darkness before it can sprout and reach for the sunshine, we too will emerge from this adversity stronger and more determined. The road to recovery will not be easy, but we have unwavering faith in our collective spirit.
Together, we will regroup, replant, rebuild and renew our hope and aspirations. Let us support one another, lend a helping hand to our neighbours, and share our resources and knowledge. Our strength lies in our united efforts and our steadfast determination to rise again. Very soon, farmers will be given every assistance available in the form of technical assistance, farm labour support, plants, seeds, clearance to roads to increase farm access, fertiliser and cash incentives.
We wish to thank you the farmers for your resilience, your courage and your commitment to our shared future. Together, we will overcome this like we did many times before, and our nutmeg and cocoa fields will flourish once again, our harvest will be bursting our barns with seeds and beans, and our community will thrive. At the same time, we encourage all of us to learn how to prepare for the unexpected, let us move forward with hope in our hearts and determination in our actions, and we will overcome this moment of shock and awe. We will restore faith in our farms, our families, our livelihood and we will restore hope for the future.
We thank you.
Wayne George, Chairman GCNA
Andrew Augustine, Chairman GCA
