By Keira St. Rose
Amid predictions of a very active hurricane season, National Green Party (NGP) leader, Andre ‘Pancho’ de Caires sees the urgent need for enhanced crop insurance coverage for Saint Lucian farmers, especially those engaged in diversified farming.
In an interview with St. Lucia Times, de Caires highlighted farmers’ vulnerability during disasters, stressing that these unfortunate conditions often leave the farmers in precarious financial situations.
“We are put in a place of almost destitution,” de Caires stated.
The NGP leader noted the significant financial impact on farmers when weather conditions or market prices turn unfavorable.
According to him, the Government should establish a dedicated disaster fund not only to support traditional banana farmers but also to safeguard the livelihoods of those involved in other aspects of agriculture
Such measures, according to de Caires, are crucial to ensure that farmers can sustain their operations and continue contributing to the country’s food security, especially in a time when the world’s food supply is at risk.
The NGP leader, himself a farmer, also spoke of the need for improved drainage systems, plastic covering for crops to mitigate precipitation, and the construction of micro-dams to ensure consistent water supply for farmers, especially during drought conditions.
The NGP leader’s call for better crop insurance comes at a time when farmers have been suffering significantly, both as a result of weather conditions and other unforeseen circumstances like a recent banana box shortage.
The Government has been assisting the affected farmers and has promised more support in the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl which inflicted over seven million dollars in damage to the agriculture industry.
