Agriculture key to economy says Prime Minister as he delivered budget address

Tuesday, April 20, 2010 – Prime minister King is underscoring the importance of agriculture to the Saint Lucian economy. He says the sector continues to play a significant role in the socio-economic development of the country, generating employment for over eight thousand people and contributing to food security.

The prime minister said government will seek to provide the necessary resources to enable expansion within the sector. The main policy objective for agriculture, in the 2010/2011 budget, the prime minister added, is to promote economic development, generate employment, and enhance the viability of rural communities.

“The government shall continue its efforts at enhancing the existing partnerships between leading economic sectors under an agro-eco tourism programme valued at €4.3 million. This programme is expected to create alternative economic activity, to generate employment and to increase incomes in rural communities in order to facilitate competitiveness, reduce poverty and ensure adequate social protection for communities. The objective of this project is to increase consumption of domestically produced food.”

The prime minister said the impact of the project is expected to be reflected in an improvement in diet-related lifestyles, manifested in a reduction in the level of non-communicable diseases, and the increased consumption of locally produced agricultural products.

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