Saint Lucia has embarked on a critical initiative known as the Saint Lucia Census of Agriculture and Fisheries (CAF) project. This survey aims to enhance the island’s agricultural database by providing essential insights into the structure of the agriculture sector.
Funded by the World Bank, the project carries an estimated cost of $8 million. Given the island’s limited financial and human resources, the census becomes even more crucial for informed decision-making and policy development.
Paul Hilaire, the Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Economic Development, emphasised the significance of this effort. He stated that the census is one of the core programmes to be conducted under Component 2 of the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean (OECS) data for decision making projects. Hilaire added that the data collected from these initiatives should never be overlooked. As Saint Lucia develops its economy, evidence-based policies are essential for addressing critical needs and achieving meaningful impact.
He added “We therefore need evidence to prioritize its resources to address the most critical needs …and to better plan and implement policies that are impactful, meaningful and socially-balanced, whilst we develop our economy.”
Minister for Agriculture Alfred Prospere stressed the need for up-to-date agricultural statistics. The last Agricultural Census occurred in 2007, making this new initiative vital for capturing recent changes and challenges in the agricultural and fisheries landscape.
Accurate data provided by farmers and fisherfolk will shape evidence-based policies and development strategies. Prospere highlighted that the census will provide a statistical overview of Saint Lucia’s agricultural and fisheries landscape. Ensuring data accuracy is crucial for creating actionable and equitable policies.
Prospere continued, “The accuracy of the data provided by our farmers and fisher folk will greatly influence the integrity of the structural framework for data-driven, evidence based actionable and equitable policies and development imperatives.”
The Ministry of Agriculture has committed to working closely with stakeholders to ensure the accurate representation of the agricultural and fisheries sectors throughout the census process.
This initiative, it is said, is a significant step toward strengthening the agriculture information base and promoting sustainable development in Saint Lucia.