Along with Chile and Uruguay, IICA strengthens food security in Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines with donations of seeds, broiler chickens and laying hens

The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) reaffirmed its commitment to strengthening food security and agricultural resilience in Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, countries to which it delivered donations of high-quality horticultural seeds, day-old broiler chicks, and laying hens.

These contributions, obtained through the Institute’s partners in Chile and Uruguay, are part of the specialized agency for agricultural and rural development’s efforts to rebuild the agriculture sector in the wake of the devastation in the island nations caused by Hurricane Beryl in 2024.

IICA made two important donations to the Ministry of Agriculture of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. The first—25 kilograms of vegetable seeds, donated by the IICA Delegation in Uruguay—was received by Saboto Caesar, the country’s Minister of Agriculture, Forestry, Fisheries, Rural Transformation, Industry and Labour, and other senior ministry officials.

Caesar stressed that the donated seeds will benefit people engaged in horticulture and commercial agriculture, to increase food production and reduce the country’s dependence on imports.

“We are going to intensify the production of seedlings in different farming seasons. We are going to work not only with horticulturists but also with a number of local farmers who are in the process of stepping up their production to cater to the hospitality sector and meet the growing demand we are seeing. We must work as a team to reduce the food import bill of St. Vincent and the Grenadines,” Caesar said.

He added: “We are seeing a significant rise in the cost of food worldwide, and when we implement projects like these we are actually working to lower the cost. Therefore, I would like to encourage the farmers who will receive seeds and seedlings to make sure that we are doing our part. Once again, I would like to thank IICA and its Representative for working with us over recent weeks and months so we could receive these seeds.”

IICA also delivered 7500 day-old chicks to the Ministry, which worked with the Zero Hunger Trust Fund and the Farmers Support Company to coordinate their distribution among horticulturists at the Ministry’s headquarters in Kingstown.

The second donation to the country consisted of a further 49 kilos of vegetable seeds, also delivered to the Ministry, obtained through the IICA Delegation in Chile. Nerissa Gittens-McMillan, Permanent Secretary at the Ministry, accepted the donation and reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to expanding local food production.

IICA Technical Specialist Michael Dalton explained that: “The Institute has taken advantage of its presence and relationships in South America to obtain these crucial inputs for the region. These initiatives are aligned with IICA’s mission to boost local food production, improve the resilience of the agriculture sector, and support long-term food security in both countries.”

In Chile, the PLANTEC Chile corporation, which in 2021 donated 450,000 fruit and vegetable seeds as part of the campaign of assistance promoted by IICA for the recovery of the food sector in the island countries, once again answered the call.

PLANTEC General Manager Ángel Esnaola said: “We are aware of the difficulties that our farmer customers often face at the local level, and being able to help them at a time when they are having problems with some small amount of assistance, which is what this seed really is, is very important for us. The entire PLANTEC organization in Chile has participated in this initiative and is delighted to be able to collaborate.”

Support for food security in Grenada

The donation to the Ministry of Agriculture of Grenada, obtained through the IICA Delegation in Chile, included seeds of corn, cabbage, lettuce, pumpkin, zucchini, beetroot and watermelon. 

In addition, significant support was provided to 14 local producers and schools, including six on the sister island of Carriacou, with the delivery of 1400 birds (700 laying hens and 700 broiler chicks) and 672 bags of feed. This donation was financed with resources from the Special Fund established by IICA’s Director General for the Caribbean Region. 

In collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Grenada Chick Inn Farm Ltd., IICA also contributed to the agricultural programs of eight schools by supplying 600 birds (300 laying hens and 300 broiler chickens), and 300 bags of feed, to support the participation of young people in sustainable food production. 

Gregory Delsol, Technical Specialist at IICA/Grenada, took part in the official presentation and highlighted the Institute’s commitment to the country’s food and nutrition security. Also on hand were Isaac Bhagwan, Permanent Secretary, and Thaddeus Peters, Director of Agriculture in Grenada, who received the donation and thanked the Institute for its continued support. 

Peters emphasized that the seeds supplied by IICA were of excellent quality and could significantly increase the production of essential vegetables, which would improve national food security. He also stressed that ensuring that farmers have access to quality seeds is a key step in strengthening local food production and reducing dependence on imports of fresh produce. 

For his part, Bhagwan noted that one of the Ministry’s specific requests to IICA was support in the area of seeds, and he was delighted that the Institute had responded to this need. He explained that the donation was in line with the Government’s broader efforts to revitalize the agriculture sector following the passage of Hurricane Beryl, and he pledged to maximize their use to increase production. 

With these strategic actions, IICA continues to play a vital role in strengthening the agriculture sectors of Grenada and Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, ensuring that communities have the resources they need to recover and prosper.