Saint Lucia is nestled in the Lesser Antillean arc between Martinique and St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Forests and woodlands account for approximately 35 percent of its land area, and the country possesses a high degree of biodiversity relative to its size. This includes over 1 800 species of plants, 150 species of birds, at least 250 fish species and 50 species of coral.

About 17 percent of Saint Lucia’s land is agricultural, providing 20 percent of employment and accounting for about 2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP). In the past decade, extreme weather events such as droughts, hurricanes, and floods have significantly impacted the agricultural sector. Runoff of pesticides and fertilisers from farms threatens Saint Lucia’s terrestrial, coastal and marine ecosystems, including rivers and coral reefs.

Where do we work?

ACP MEAs 3 works across the island of Saint Lucia, with field activities being delivered in the communities of Anse La Raye, Babonneau, Canaries, Cul de Sac, and Soufriere.

Agrobiodiversity

• Supporting the finalization of Saint Lucia’s country report on implementation of the Second Global Plan of Action (GPA) for Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture (PGRFA).

o   Saint Lucia will be the first country in the Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States to develop a comprehensive national PGRFA strategy.

• Working together with the Saint Lucia Forest and Land Resources Division, the degraded riparian zones of two rivers in the East of the island were revegetated.
• Promoting reforestation on stakeholders along the river, as a result, private landowners undertook riverbank revegetation at their own expense.

Highly Hazardous Pesticides

• Supporting the development of a study on the strengths and weaknesses of pesticides regulation in Saint Lucia.
• Developing a strategic roadmap to strengthen pesticides regulation, via a national multi-stakeholder consultative process.
• Improving procedures for the control of pesticides imports.

Cocoa Sector

• Training on cocoa agronomy, pre-harvest and post-harvest good practices to cocoa farmers, agro-processors and extension officers; in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture’s Cocoa Sector Enhancement Project.

What’s to come?

• Develop a national PGRFA strategy and action plan for Saint Lucia.
• Revegetate the Cul de Sac river.
• Upgrade the Union Forestry Nursery Facility to enable the sustainable supply of planting materials for revegetation and ecosystem restoration.
• Create Farmer Field Schools and associated capacity-building in at least one other Eastern Caribbean country.
• Scale-out of cocoa agronomy training to farmers and producers in Dominica, Grenada, and St. Vincent and the Grenadines.
• Start a sub-regional market analysis and recommendations to enhance productivity and sustainability of the Eastern Caribbean fine cocoa and chocolate sector.
• Build capacity in small-scale cocoa processors to increase their income by producing higher-quality value-added goods.