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Integral role of Farmers & Fishers celebrated this week

The weekend-long exhibition and market days on Tortola will feature various exhibitions, pumpkin soup and gooseberry stew competitions, livestock displays, sale of food, live entertainment and games. Photo: GIS/File
Farmers and Fishers' Exhibitions and Market Days will take place on Tortola on March 18 and 19, Jost van Dyke on March 20 and Virgin Gorda on March 21, 2023. Photo: GIS/File
Farmers and Fishers' Exhibitions and Market Days will take place on Tortola on March 18 and 19, Jost van Dyke on March 20 and Virgin Gorda on March 21, 2023. Photo: GIS/File
PARAQUITA BAY, Tortola, VI- Director of Agriculture and Fisheries Theodore E. James has said this year’s Farmers and Fishers’ week celebrates the integral role of farmers and fishers and their involvement in the expansion of a prosperous, thriving and internationally competitive economy.

Mr James said the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries will host Farmers and Fishers’ Week this year from March 18 to the 23 under the theme “Farmers and Fishers: Building the Third Pillar of the Economy”.

He said, "The community continues to step up to support these sectors and we are encouraged that Farmers and Fishers’ Week will continue to advance."

According to a press release from Government Information Services (GIS) on March 15, 2023, the Director also expressed gratitude to the staff at the Department, the local farming and fishing community, schools and private sector partners for successfully organising the week’s activities which will commence with an opening ceremony and panel discussion by integral industry partners and government agencies on Saturday, March 18, 2023, at the exhibition grounds at Paraquita Bay.

Permanent Secretary in the Premier's Office, Mrs Carolyn E. Stoutt-Igwe, reiterated the strategic importance of the farming and fishing sectors in contributing to the overall economic development of the Territory. 

Farmers needed for 'resilient economy'- Stoutt-Igwe

Mrs Stoutt Igwe said, "Farmers and Fishers' Week is the time to celebrate our producers, the hardworking farmers and fishermen who put healthy food on our plates. Our economy cannot be resilient without them."

Farmers and Fishers' Exhibitions and Market Days will take place on Tortola on March 18 and 19, Jost van Dyke on March 20 and Virgin Gorda on March 21. The weekend-long exhibition and market days on Tortola will feature various exhibitions, pumpkin soup and gooseberry stew competitions, livestock displays, sale of food, live entertainment and games.

On the island of Anegada, a chicken coop will be installed at the Claudia Creque Educational Centre to serve as a practical educational tool for the youth, to ensure that young people are actively engaged in the agricultural and fisheries sector in the Virgin Islands.

The week-long activities will conclude at the Elmore Stoutt High School with a school garden exhibition, and a sampling segment of the school’s garden produce.

Farmers and Fishers’ Week is an annual event organised by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to celebrate farmers and fishers and sensitise the community of the invaluable contributions of these sectors.

18 Responses to “Integral role of Farmers & Fishers celebrated this week”

  • No Shame in Your Game (19/03/2023, 21:51) Like (11) Dislike (4) Reply
    Those pineapples and avocados are imported produce same as what is being sold in the new market in Road Town. There is not one local farmer selling in the new market. For those out there fooling the public on the election campaign trail please explain why local farmers have been priced out of the market and why local farming has drastically declined in recent years while getting much lip service especially on the election campaign trail. You people have no shame in your game and that is why many persons have decided to not be bothered to vote for any of you come election day.
    • Tasty (20/03/2023, 08:59) Like (6) Dislike (6) Reply
      I thought that all the farmers, and many non farmers in the public service, had stopped working and were living off their grants!
    • Well said (20/03/2023, 10:37) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
      @No Shame in Your game you are ABSOLUTELY RIGHT. I saw this photograph and I felt ashamed that there were some great displays of local produce there and they choose to use this stock image for their reporting on the event. The local farmers do not get any real support. The premier was up there saying that they were bringing in someone from abroad to help them establish some raised beds?!?! FOR WHAT? There are some amazingly knowledgeable local farmers here - why are you flying someone in? At what cost? So you can use the useless shiny tractor that you have sat there? Which again - was a complete waste of resources.
  • farmer (19/03/2023, 22:02) Like (15) Dislike (3) Reply
    I am a farmer who is not a VIP supporter, but I must say thank you to them for the grant received as I am one who benefited and put it to good use. Let's keep helping the farmers and fishermen.
  • Clearly (19/03/2023, 22:04) Like (7) Dislike (0) Reply
    This guy over Agriculture and Fisheries Department is not ready at all. He is a little better than Paddy but still not ready.
  • thank you (19/03/2023, 22:05) Like (13) Dislike (3) Reply
    I am so grateful that farmers week was revived under the VIP as Kedrick had killed agriculture and fishing dead dead dead.
  • My Take (19/03/2023, 22:11) Like (5) Dislike (0) Reply
    One of the things that was realized by covid is the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries have not done a good job of keeping an updated register of current fishermen and farmers. This should be an ongoing effort. This help cause a lot of the confusion with most of the grants. I for one am a long-time farmer and fisherman that was not listed by the Department as a farmer nor fisherman during covid although I had turn in my registration paperwork long before covid. This nearly caused me not to get a grant. Better management is needed in this respect.
    • jokes (20/03/2023, 20:11) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Well if you were keeping your farming and fishing licence updated you would know the progress. if you aint fishing why would you be on the listing as a registered fisher... now farming if you aint producing why would you be on the listing as a farmer...common sense could educate you more on what you need to do, than pass this blame game.
  • youth man (19/03/2023, 22:16) Like (8) Dislike (2) Reply
    I do not get involved in politics. However, the covid grant I got helped me to get back on my feet in a major way in the fishing industry again. I am one who come publicly to say thank you to all who made it possible.
  • asura (19/03/2023, 22:34) Like (6) Dislike (2) Reply
    at least the VIP keeping agriculture alive
  • 2023 (20/03/2023, 00:51) Like (7) Dislike (2) Reply
    this insensitive and this department went dead under the former minister for agriculture the same person who wants to come back to kill off our country. run talk that
  • mad max (20/03/2023, 04:39) Like (10) Dislike (0) Reply
    Well, at least we know we have hundreds of farmers and fisher folk now so should be an incredible extravaganza!
  • Rhythm up. (20/03/2023, 04:46) Like (10) Dislike (7) Reply
    VIP kill Agriculture and Fisheries from the 90s. Since then no one make them a priority..Look at Fishery building a very important entity six yrs after the hurricanes, still in shambles..Yet we kept renting office spaces like its investment in wall street, we kept giving away monies like its growing on a tree planted in the of the Prime Minister...Half of that monies gave away as fishers farmers grant could have rebuilt our fisheries building nicely, or even if we had cut back on district allocation for each member by 15% and used that 15% to rebuild the fishery building it would have been done. These politicians are not serious, don't care or they have no management skills. Like Ms Archer kept saying. " The BVI dont have a money problem the BVI has a lack of management or poor or none manager skills in our leaders" . Maybe she has identify the problem... listening to PVIM last night. I think Ronnie is the beest way forward..
    • @Rhythm up. (20/03/2023, 10:44) Like (3) Dislike (2) Reply
      You obviously have no clue what you are saying as your only intent is to get at VIP whenever you post. Agriculture and fisheries were put to rest R.I.P. under the NDP and Dr. Kedrick Pickering as the Minister. He said there is no future and funds for agriculture and fisheries. He got rid of agriculture and fisherman week and any programme to assist. He stop registering fisherman and farmers which caused an issue during the pandemic especially for awarding them grants. Go do proper research and stop talking foolishness out of hatred for the VIP. By the way I am not a party person but just someone stating the facts. COVID & IRMA & MARIA happened. They were REAL!!! They caused many ISSUES!!! Stop speaking as if they did not happen and they do not need to be factored in. Give credit where credit is due. VIP has revived agriculture and fishing.
  • VIP.. Lord Stop. (20/03/2023, 06:19) Like (4) Dislike (6) Reply
    All the monies gave away, no improvement in Agriculture and fisheries, 5 yrs our Very important fisheries building site still a sore Eye..
  • musa (20/03/2023, 09:41) Like (10) Dislike (1) Reply
    U want to see real farmers visit us at sea cows Bay opposit boys gas station pass the bar take left .
    • jokes (20/03/2023, 20:14) Like (0) Dislike (0) Reply
      Stop looking for fame, because it has all good farmers and fishers on the island. This got to be a joke when this fool chooses their time to blog crap.
  • alive (20/03/2023, 09:51) Like (1) Dislike (6) Reply
    With imported food


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