The Government allocated hundreds of millions of dollars to assist farmers and fisherfolk and safeguard the country’s food security.
Assistance to Farmers
• $1 billion was allocated under the Production Incentive Programme to
assist small farmers affected by COVID-19
• An initial $240 million was allocated for a ‘Buy-Back Programme’ to assist in the movement of the
excess produce from farmers to consumers.
• The livelihoods of more than 30,000 farmers were secured, by purchasing and distributing the excess produce islandwide.
• Export-related fees and charges were cut by 50 per cent. The reduction impacted agricultural commodities, including coffee, cocoa, spice and coconut licensing fees.
• A $647-million support package was announced to help more than 14,000 farmers affected by the heavy rains in October and November, to restart planting as quickly as possible, following loss of crops valued approximately $2.5 billion.
• Some 136 farmers in 22 communities received 275,712 gallons of irrigated water under the Ministry’s $194-million Drought Mitigation Programme.
• $141 million allocated to safeguard cocoa and coffee industries.
• $105 million allocated to continue management activities for the Frosty Pod Rot disease affecting cocoa.
Help for Former Sugar Workers
• Former sugar workers of the Monymusk Sugar Factory benefitted under a project aimed at providing them with alternative livelihoods.
