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Agriculture continues to be a
critical sector for St Lucia although its
contribution to GDP has been steadily declining over
the last 10 years. The sector contributed
approximately 5.1% to GDP in 2004. The country is a
net-food importing country, with a growing trade
deficit in its food bill over the last 10 years.
Despite its contraction over the years, banana
production remains central to the sector, occupying
48% of the cultivated land and accounting for 41.4%
of gross agricultural output. Other important crops
include coconut, cocoa, vegetables and herbs, other
fruit and tree crops and cut flowers. Although the
livestock sector is small and dominated by the
poultry and pork sub-sectors, it continues to
experience some growth.
The development challenges to the food,
agriculture and natural resources system in St.
Lucia are no different from other CARICOM states. A
major policy challenge to the Government is how to
transform risk averse, resource-deficient, farmers
into efficient and competitive entrepreneurs, if
agriculture, forestry and fisheries are to operate
as the true engines of economic growth and social
stability. Another challenge remains attracting
young and appropriately skilled technical and
professional labour in the production and marketing
of goods and services from these sectors. Declining
preferences in the traditional markets coupled with
increased competition from an ever-widening array of
countries in the major export markets of Europe and
the Americas signal the urgent need to diversify the
agricultural production and export base. The
fundamental question arising relates to the
country’s capacity to effect the necessary
adjustments in time.
In response to these challenges, the national
development policy for agriculture emphasises the
need to increase the efficiency and competitiveness
of agriculture; promote the adoption of
improved/appropriate technological packages; expand
and diversify agricultural, forestry, and fisheries
base and increase value-added by promoting
agro-industrial development. Modernization of the
legislative and policy framework for optimal
agricultural production and trade is also critical.
These measures will all impact positively on. The
provision of technical and financial support would
also be critical for achievement of many of the
objectives. The anticipated impact of this policy is
growth in the financial and economic viability of
agricultural production, with positive impacts on
food security, new employment and income generating
opportunities especially in rural areas.
The coincidence of the St. Lucia’s policy goals
with regional and hemispheric initiatives provides
some a guarantee of support on the regional and
hemispheric front. Indeed, opportunities exist for
St. Lucia to benefit from the regional, hemispheric
and international and partnerships with the OECS,
through its Agriculture Plan, the CARICOM led Jagdeo
Initiative, the Caribbean Fisheries Regional
Mechanism (CRFM), the UN FAO-led National Medium
Term Investment Profiles (NMTIP), the Summit of the
Americas Agriculture Agenda 2015 and the UN
Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), especially
Goals 1, 3, 7 and Goals 8.
Summit of the Americas Agriculture
Agenda 2015 and the UN Millennium Development Goals
(MDGs), especially Goals 1, 3, 7 and Goals 8.
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1 Extracted from the National
Medium Term Priority Framework for FAO Assistance -
Saint Lucia Draft document, 2006 |
