On Thursday, May 18th, 2023, a project aimed at upgrading the management of water and soil resources for the sustainability of seven (7) Caribbean countries’ agri-food systems was launched here.
The project, funded by the German Agency for International Cooperation (GIZ) and implemented by Argentina’s Ministry of Agriculture, will see the construction of a water shed on Mayreau.
The project’s focal point According to Karomo Browne, the project plan entails building a shed in Mayreau for water harvesting and installing tanks for water storage. He emphasized the need of such a project because Mayreau is a particularly arid island with a limited ability to retain moisture.
Browne went on to say that the residents of Mayreau rely on food imports, and that the Ministry of Agriculture wants to increase local vegetable production and consumption on the island.
Meanwhile, Renato Gumbs, Chief Agricultural Officer, stated that the project is highly essential and that the installation of the plot on Mayreau will be a strong platform for collecting data on crop performance. He hopes that the data collecting and use of technical abilities in the project will assist the ministry in making recommendations for a larger undertaking.
According to Gumbs, farmers have historically disregarded the role of soils in agricultural planning. However, he is pushing them to take advantage of the dry spells because productivity is projected to be higher during dry spells due to fewer diseases and more sunlight.
Meanwhile, Maria Cornelli, a representative from Argentina’s Ministry of Agriculture, stated that the project’s goal is to develop participatory planning strategies and technology for the management of water and soil resources in order to contribute to the region’s agricultural sustainability.
The Mayreau Water Shed Project has been granted a budget of €8,000.
