Find Agriculture expertise in St Kitts and Nevis
- Industry
- Development
Industry
Agriculture, together with forestry and fisheries, contributes 2.4% of St Kitts and Nevis’ GDP (2010), with 19.2% of the islands' total land area devoted to agricultural use. The principal agricultural products are sugarcane, rice, yams, vegetables, bananas and fish. The country ceased producing sugar for export in 2005, with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries instead seeking to diversify sugarcane into products such as rum and livestock feed. On Nevis sea island cotton and coconuts are the major agricultural products. On both islands individual smallholders grow vegetables for local consumption. Livestock production in St Kitts and Nevis is centred on beef, mutton, pork and poultry, with 1000 hectares devoted to pastures. In the early 2000s, agricultural products accounted for around 10% of St Kitts and Nevis’ exports. The Ministry of Agriculture, Marine Resources and Constituency Empowerment oversees the agricultural industry in the country.
Development
Following the cessation of sugar exports to Europe in 2005, a trade which had been ongoing for 300 years, it was important to set out a development plan to protect farmers and agricultural workers in the country. Efforts are being made to use sugarcane in other products such as rum distillation, livestock feed and energy production. With a growing tourism industry, land which was previously dedicated to sugarcane production is now being planted with fruit and vegetables which will compete with imported produce and supply tourists and locals. The Caribbean Community (CARICOM) runs the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) which conducts agricultural research and development in the region. Research and development in the country is focused on Integrated Pest Management (IPM), the principal interest area of which is the development of biopesticides for sweet potatoes, as well as researching the use of IPM in undercover or protected agricultural environments. In addition, CARDI St Kitts and Nevis is concerned with the development of hot pepper production and participates in the regional small ruminant survey.
| Agriculture organisations in St Kitts and Nevis | |
|---|---|
| Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries |
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