Over 5000 Lbs of Roots and Tubers Procured to Boost Crop Production in St. Kitts

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources in collaboration with CARDI has procured over 5000 pounds of roots and tubers from St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

This shipment of roots and tubers which includes 3,000 pounds of Dasheen, 3,000 pounds Eddoes and 600 pounds of Tannia have been distributed to farmers at the Fahies Outreach Centre in Newton Ground as part of the Ministry’s efforts to improve the quality and quantity of food production in St. Kitts and Nevis.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), root and tuber crops grown in most islands of the Caribbean by smallholder farmers, are an important source of dietary needs and a regular source of income for many rural farmers.

The Ministry of Agriculture is seeking to use roots and tuber crops as a key pillar in the reduction of food and nutrition insecurity, the high incidence of non-communicable diseases and the food import bill.

An additional shipment of tubers is expected to arrive shortly