A new joint project
By Dana Niland
CJ Contributor
The Government of St Kitts and Nevis has signed an agreement with Taiwan for an initiative expected to improve food production and preservation in the twin-island federation.
The Food Processing Commercialization Development Expert Dispatch is designed to improve and raise the revenue generated by processing foods such as breadfruit, green banana, flour, pumpkin powder, guava cheese, and others, the government said.
The yearlong project is expected to strengthen brand marketing and add value to products marketed and consumed.
Taiwan also presented a check to the government for the Vegetable, Fruit, and Upland Crop Quality and Safety Improvement Project, which aims to strengthen testing capabilities in areas such as pesticide residue and soil fertility.
“Today is a very important day for the agriculture sector,” said Minister of Agriculture, Eugene Hamilton, who added that it represents additional opportunities for local farmers to satisfy local consumption needs and regional demand through increasing export avenues.
The minister noted that these agro-processing developments are of particular importance to women, as they comprise 80 percent of persons involved in the venture.
Hamilton also praised Taiwan’s resident ambassador, George Gow Wei Chiou, for his “efforts in strengthening and cementing the invaluable ties” between the two countries throughout their 32 year partnership.
Ambassador Chiou said that experts from Taiwan will travel to the twin-island federation to work collaboratively with locals in conducting product research and development, brand marketing management, education promotion, and sustainable development.
“Through the implementation of these four goals we can expect the improvement of our current food processing functions and this will raise the revenue generated from the processing of food,” he said. “In combination with the development of tourism, this project will create new marketing management techniques and the upgrading of commercial skills.”