On Monday morning, September 11th, a modest number of Anguilla’s farmers turned out to a meeting at the Ministry of Finance Conference Room to participate in a Needs Assessment survey conducted by the University of Florida.
The University, in collaboration with the Ministry of Sustainability, Innovation and the Environment, organized the survey to obtain an idea of the kind of challenges that the farmers face in the production of crops and the rearing of livestock on the island.
The facilitator of the survey was Ms. Arati Joshi, Graduate Assistant in Agricultural Education and Communication at the University. The findings of the survey will be used to prioritize the issues that farmers and other stakeholders in the sector would like to see addressed in order to increase agricultural production and improve food and nutrition security in Anguilla.
According to Ms. Joshi, the needs survey is a systematic process of identifying, analyzing, and evaluating the current conditions, problems, challenges and opportunities in the farming community. She said that the survey is basically the first step towards planning any programme for the improvement of agricultural output.
The farmers were issued with a questionnaire which inquired into several factors including the farmers’ production problems, the kinds of produce which they grow, the kinds of produce that they would desire to grow, the size of their farms, the source of their agricultural supplies, and hindrances to increasing agricultural and livestock production, etc.
The questionnaire did not require the farmers to submit their identities, and each completed questionnaire was treated with the highest level of confidentiality.
Director of Natural Resources, Miss Melissa Meade, said that the agricultural needs assessment survey would enable the Ministry of Sustainability, Innovation and the Environment to gain as much information as possible in order to ultimately provide benefit to the farmers, thereby enhancing local food production and food security on Anguilla.
Monday’s survey formed only one part of a five-day programme that extended from Monday, September 11th to Friday, September 15th. The sessions which are geared towards enlightening farmers are conducted by the University of Florida in partnership with the Government of Anguilla.
