The Government of the Virgin Islands is informing farmers using agricultural plots on the Paraquita Bay Estate that a project is underway to review the use of the land and demonstrate sustainable land farming practices on eligible livestock and crop farms on the Estate.   

The project is made possible through the “Integrated Landscape Approaches and Investments in Sustainable Land Management in the OECS” project, managed by the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States and funded under the European Union Global Public Goods and Challenges Programme.

Assistant Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change, Mrs. Tessa Smith Claxton said the purpose of the exercise is to support the orderly development of the farm plots at Paraquita Bay using sustainable farming practices that make the best use of Crown land to increase agricultural production in the Territory.

The company Innov8, has been contracted by the OECS to carry out the works and is meeting with farmers and other stakeholders from October 10 to 26. The company will be carrying out assessments including;

• The extent and nature of the current and proposed farming footprint on the Paraquita Bay Estate. 
• Agricultural potential of current and proposed farming footprint (i.e. Soil –type, depth, fertility, drainage, nutritional status, ph., slope etc.), natural vegetation and biodiversity of the area, availability of water etc.) and the surrounding activities. 
• Development of a spatial plan for farming plots on the Estate; and
• Recommending and demonstrating sustainable farming designs and practices on select farming plots on the Estate

The Ministry of Environment, Natural Resources and Climate Change is committed to a sound stewardship of our natural resources and fostering environmentally friendly best management practices.