Chinese Government provides XCD 8 million grant for Agricultural Technical Cooperation Project

In 2018, China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOFCOM) agreed to provide a grant worth $8 million Eastern Caribbean Dollars (XCD) for a three-year Agricultural Technical Cooperation Project in Antigua and Barbuda. The project had multiple components that focused on technical cooperation and agricultural expansion.

The ‘vertical’ components of the project included an experimentation component in Green Castle, which involved the utilization of smart greenhouse technology for micropropagation and to produce planting material. This component was expected to result in the construction of 7 greenhouses.

There was also a demonstration component at Diamond Estate; it was a commercial demonstration of different production techniques for selected vegetable commodities.

As part of the demonstration component, training was to be provided to build capacity among the agricultural ministry’s technical staff and farmers. The project sought to make a total of 700 training opportunities available over the three-year period of the project.

Another project component focused on tissue culture technology, which is a process of micropropagating different commodities. It sought to address specific crops, such as pineapple, which has significant potential but lack planting materials. The project also had ‘horizontal’ components. These included land clearing and land preparation, pond and dam cleaning, and construction.

In order to support these particular horizontal activities, the Ministry of Agriculture expected to receive some additional equipment from China (in particular, trucks and excavators to to facilitate the removal of the debris).

Through the MOFCOM-funded Agricultural Technical Cooperation Project, the Government of Antigua and Barbuda also hired a consultant from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) to develop a Comprehensive Marketing Plan in collaboration with the country’s Ministry of Agriculture. Longping High-Tech Agricultural Company was the contractor responsible for project implementation.

Project implementation commenced in April 2018.

Then, on May 8, 2018, the Chinese Government and the Government of Antigua and Barbuda signed a confirmation letter for the project’s implementation plan.

In September 2018, the first meeting of the Local Technical Advisory Committee for the implementation of the project was convened. This Committee was chaired by the Director of Agriculture Jedidiah Maxime.

Other members of the Committee included senior technicians in the Ministry of Agriculture, the Chinese team leader, and members of the farming community.

On October 8, 2019, Antigua and Barbuda dispatched 15 farmers and government officials to China for the first phase of a two phase training program. The project was ultimately completed in April 2021. A farewell ceremony took place on April 22, 2021.