Saint Kitts and Nevis Agricultural Transformation and Growth Strategy 2022-2031.

This Agricultural Transformation and Growth Strategy moves from the urgent need to find durable solutions to the challenged posed by land, soil, water and coastal area degradation and non-climate challenges to the agricultural sector in the country, in order to strengthen agricultural transformation in the next decade, and create resilient and sustainable agri-food systems, in compliance with Sustainable Development Goals. This Strategy provides a common vision, guiding principles, framework and solutions and identifies five impact areas: 1) Agricultural productivity and income growth; 2) Food import reduction; 3) Food and Nutrition security; 4) Decent employment and livelihoods; 5) Sustainable ecosystems. Outputs and activities are achieved through the following key implementation approaches: risk prevention and management; innovation; stakeholders engagement; public-private partnership; strategic alliances and cooperation among ministries; improved links between agriculture and other sectors of the economy; gender equality, youth and social inclusion; information, communication and public awareness programmes. The Strategy aims at realising this vision: establishing a resilient and productive agri-food system, that contributes to the economic growth and improves livelihoods, food security and nutritional health, thanks to the application of agricultural knowledge and innovation systems and through sustainable management of ecosystems and biodiversity.
The Strategy identifies the following challenges and associated constraints to the agri-food system: increased frequency of storms, hurricane, flood and droughts, sea level rise, reduced crop and animal productivity, decreased fish abundance and catches, increased incidence of pests and diseases and invasive species; weak response and management to natural hazards, climate and socioeconomic changes, lack of specific early-warning systems, lack of access to affordable insurance and social protection measures; ineffective wildlife and domesticated animals management, destruction of cultivated fields and crops, attacks by wild animals; inadequate investment in renewable energy and water management for irrigation; lack of collective actions by farmers and fishers cooperatives; ineffective agricultural land administration and management. The framework to implement the vision statements of the Strategy concerns: investment promotion, land tenure and property right empowerment, water resources management, abstraction of groundwater resources, implementation of procedures to combat illegal, unreported and unregulated fishing (IUU), digitalisation of agriculture; improvement of soil health, promotion of integrated coastal zone and watershed management, improvement of coastal marine fisheries management, reduction of marine pollution; agroforestry and biotechnologies solutions (biofertilisers, biopesticides), integrated pest management strategies; enhancement of animal and human health through food systems, increasing production of nutrient-rich food and animal feed, strengthening food quality and safety and improvement of education to reduce food loss and waste.