(CNS): Around 400 commercial farmers across the Cayman Islands will continue to get a government grant until the end of November now that $500,000 has been earmarked for Phase 2 of the programme from an additional $3 million that was voted for during the recent Finance Committee meeting to help the agriculture sector.
The Cayman Islands Farmers Assistance and Relief Measures programme is a direct support scheme where farmers receive a voucher card to be topped up over the three month period, which they can use to buy livestock feed, fertilizers, pesticides and other essential agricultural inputs from the Department of Agriculture.
Since the grants started, over 1,500 members of the farming community have benefited from the relief measures.
Agriculture Minister Jay Ebanks said government is committed to supporting farmers and strengthening the islands’ food and nutrition security. “The additional funds of close to half a million dollars which we have allocated for this phase of the farmers’ relief measures programme to assist commercial farmers is further indication of our intention to provide the support and resources that are needed.”
However, earlier this year Ebanks announced he was cancelling the programme as support for the farmers was going to be reviewed. That move was sharply criticised by the opposition, who accused the new agriculture minister of flip-flopping on support for the sector.
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