The process for the issuance of the Farmers’ identification cards began yesterday, Extension Officer with the Agricultural Extension Division Ika Fergus, informed the public via a notice, which stated that only photographs and signatures will be gathered from Monday 24th to Friday 28th June, from 9:30 am to 2:30 pm.
The schedule for the assigned districts also informed interested parties of the registration for farmers in the following districts would be as follows: Monday 24th – Northeast; Tuesday 25th – Southwest; Wednesday 26th – Southcentral; Thursday 27th – Northwest; and Friday 28th – Southeast.
“The Farmer’s Registration Programme is a significant step forward in the Ministry of Agriculture’s efforts to provide accurate information and knowledge on important details in the Agricultural sector, such as the total number of producers, cultivated areas, among other things, which may help to quantify the exact contribution of the sector to our national food security pursuits, and the sustainable economic development of our country on a whole. Please note that Mr. Adrian Bowen will be the person facilitating the process and farmers’ cooperation on this matter would be appreciated,” the notice said.
According to an article written by Carol-Faye Bynoe-George yesterday for the Antigua Ministry of Agriculture Fisheries and Barbuda Affairs Facebook page, “Minister EP Chet Greene, Mr Owolabi Elabanjo, Chief Extension Officer and Mr Ika Fergus, Extension Officer are all elated by the positive responses demonstrated by farmers thus far. Interestingly there were many who anxiously visited or called the Extension Division on information pertaining to the ongoing registration.
“The Agricultural Extension officials explained that the registration will be an ongoing process and will be done in batches of one hundred (100) at a time. Interested farmers should reach out to their district officers for pertinent information in regards to the issuance of their identification cards and the associated benefits. Today’s exercise is a microcosm of the registration process, where as a pilot programme, we will specifically be targeting 100 farmers ie, 20 farmers from each of our five main Agricultural districts, who were recommended by the relevant district Extension officers. This will be sequentially done in batches of 100 in the upcoming weeks.”
The article also states that Fergus said, “One of the main objectives behind this registration is to create a credible and comprehensive national farmer registry, where the government through the Ministry of Agriculture, can leverage farmer and farm data, which would allow for better planning and informed decisions making relative to the development of the Agricultural sector in Antigua and Barbuda.”
