Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper - UNDP Barbados and the OECS ...

expected to continue providing opportunities for expansion and economic growth
in areas of job creation, foreign exchange generation, enhanced rural
opportunities, increased tax revenues, and infrastructure investment.
This sector, considered the main stay of the economy, is the largest source of
income in SVG. It has a pivotal role to play in economic growth by providing
crosscutting opportunities of job creation in other sectors such as agriculture,
fishing, manufacturing and processing. Strategies to strengthen these linkages
will impact positively on the poor. Such strategies must have a strong component
of skills development, training, support and dissemination of information.
One such proposed strategy is a “buy local” campaign with infrastructure links to
micro-enterprise product development in fishing, agriculture and manufacturing
in rural areas. (This may also reduce prices for home consumption. Presently, it
costs less to buy a bag of imported corn curls than to purchase an orange.) Three
other developmental strands will run concurrently (i) an aggressive private
sector driven marketing and promotion program, with a view to promoting a
distinctive Vincentian destination; (ii) human resource development with
training in specific programmes and activities e.g. service; (iii) public education
programs and training in and out of school on tourism awareness, hospitality,
service, and environmental protection.
Such an approach will develop an inter-linked, inter-dependent approach to
development that will help to reduce the existing fragmentation that can be
counter-productive, and increases the vulnerability of the poor.
5.2.1.2 Agriculture
Agriculture continues to be a main stay of economic growth in St. Vincent and the
Grenadines. The Ministry of Agriculture has developed a program of
diversification with a vision of supporting start up and sustainability. One of its
important features is a focus on households. Approaching poverty reduction on a
household basis may have a more sustained effect. Doing so by developing
systems of information, education, technical training, and start-up supplies
directly to the household.
Successful micro-enterprise Agricultural efforts require organization and cooperation.
Increased efforts and support in employing the cooperative approach
to job creation in Agriculture must be utilized. The Private Sector need also to be
involved in the creation of jobs in sectors of agriculture, fishing and tourism.
Strategies to increase livelihood security and to generate jobs include:
�� Improved accessibility and expansion of land to farmers
Final SVG I-PRSP Revision June 2003
41