CaribPR Wire

CaribPR Wire, Castries, Nov. 09, 2022: In response to the global food crisis, Saint Lucia, a small island state in the Caribbean, has rolled out a number of government programs to increase food security, boosting its agricultural production and minimizing its reliance on imports.

And indeed, the country’s recent measures have proved timely. With inflation on the rise even within wealthy countries, it appears that the global food crisis will worsen before it improves. The conflict in Europe has also impacted inflation, having affected how commodities are produced, used and traded across the world. These changes are likely to keep food prices high until 2024, prolonging and worsening international food security.

This state of affairs has proved particularly challenging for many Small Island Developing States (SIDS) which, already on the frontline of climate change, are facing increased food insecurity due to the rising cost of imports. In response to this, Saint Lucia has increased its food production capacities in a bid to overcome its dependency on imports. Under the direction of Alfred Prospere, Saint Lucia’s Minister for Agriculture and Food Security, the government has launched several initiatives to strengthen the country’s production.

These efforts include the government’s Seven Crops project which aims to grow and strengthen supply chains in the fruit and vegetable sector. The Ministry of Agriculture reported that since the introduction of the project, the island has significantly increased production for a number of crops targeted by the programme – these include papaya, broccoli, cucumber, pumpkin, cauliflower, eggplant, corn, dragon fruit and sugar apples.

The government also improved its agriculture intelligence information systems, setting up stable markets for farmers and introducing new technologies into the agricultural sector in an effort to lower Saint Lucia’s food import bill. So far, this development has led to an increase in both the quality and quantity of agricultural yields.

In addition to these measures, the government has also offered a 30% subsidy to banana crop farmers to support its export industry. In 2020, bananas were one of the country’s most profitable exports, with crops being sent to Barbados (US$302,000), Canada (US$1 412,000) and the United Kingdom ( US$2.61M).

With the global supply chain experiencing significant disruption and many agricultural commodities facing significant breaks to their supply, the government’s actions have come at an opportune moment. For many countries, global supply chain problems have led to skyrocketing prices for food commodities, a problem exacerbated by the increasing cost of agricultural commodities.

Saint Lucia’s government has therefore been prioritising the development and promotion of extensive farming on the island, with the goal of increasing self-reliance in the country’s food supply. By lessening its dependence on imports, Saint Lucia has sought to insulate itself from the ever-rising inflation affecting countries across the world.

Current projections from economic forecasters indicate that further rises in inflation are expected for 2023. This increase will prove particularly onerous for emerging and underdeveloped nations. According to data collected between May and August 2022, most low and middle-income countries have already experienced significantly high inflation, with 88.2% of low-income, 91.1% of lower-middle-income and 93% of upper-middle-income countries having experienced inflation rises above 5%. With domestic food price inflation very high across the world, including in the United States, Saint Lucia is standing firm against the odds.

One factor contributing to Saint Lucia’s success is the active participation of its youth in its agricultural upliftment. Across the world, there has been a decline in young workers entering the agriculture sector. With this shortage of farmers, most major food producers have reported declines in their output – with knock-on effects on food security. However, Saint Lucia’s agriculture minister noted that its youth are actively participating in the sector and that this participation has led to an improvement in the island’s food supply.

Building on this contribution from Saint Lucia’s youth, the government has introduced a number of new policies and subsidies to assist local farmers. These policies are supported by funds from the country’s Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP).  Citizenship by Investment allows individuals to gain citizenship to a country by investing a certain amount in the country’s economy. In Saint Lucia, this investment involves contributing to the National Economic Fund Investment Option which sponsors social development.

Launched in 2016, Saint Lucia’s Citizenship by Investment Programme (CIP) is the newest CIP in the Caribbean. The programme hopes to establish itself as one of the best programmes in the world. In line with these aims, the programme is already ranked among the top three Citizenship by Investment (CBI) Programmes in the world, according to the “CBI Index 2022” published by the PWM Magazine of the Financial Times.

High-net-worth individuals can invest in the National Economic Fund Investment, known as the Fund Option, to apply for alternative citizenship in Saint Lucia. The Fund Option allows investors to support the country’s socio-economic advancement as well as the expansion and development of its infrastructure. The minimum investment required is $100,000 (US).

Since the inception of the programme, Saint Lucia’s government has time and again proved its judiciousness, allocating the funds generated by its CIP to support socio-economic advancement. The programme also operates with a high degree of transparency, with the CIP providing detailed information to investors about how their funds are being used. Most recently, CIP funds have contributed to the uplift of the agriculture sector, particularly to the development of new and advanced farming techniques. The success of this support has become evident, with the country’s food production surging as it progresses towards food security.

Along with its support of Saint Lucia’s development, the CIP has proved exceptionally beneficial to investors. Given the opportunity to become global citizens, investors have thrived, with unimpeded access to the country providing an ideal framework for wealth planning, the expansion of business and access to international business markets.

Defying global uncertainties and crises in these uncertain times, Saint Lucia’s careful investment in food production proves its ability to provide a safe and secure environment for those looking to share in its prosperous future.

DALLAS, June 27, 2018 /PRNewswire-HISPANIC PR WIRE/ – Eden Green Technology, a next generation vertical farming company, unveiled Crisply, a locally grown, freshly picked produce line today.

Eden Green Technology’s Crisply produce, which is non-GMO and pesticide-, herbicide- and chemical-free, can be found in Walmart stores beginning in Texas next month. Eden Green Technology is believed to be the first vertical future farm able to scale to meet the produce needs of existing regional food distribution systems. Eden Green Technology will be the first company to offer freshly picked produce, grown locally at next-generation vertical farms, on a large scale.

“We are elated to make fresh, handpicked greens available to everyone who wants to eat high quality, nutrient-rich produce without spending an entire paycheck,” said Jaco Booyens, co-chair of Eden Green Technology, a privately held Dallas-based company, which has been in stealth mode for two years.

“We pick our produce, package the same-day, and stamp the date when they are harvested on the package so consumers know exactly how fresh their salads are. We also make it possible for our retail partners to put our produce on their shelves immediately after they’ve been harvested, in some cases that same day. No other company does that,” Booyens added.

Eden Green Technology’s Crisply produce grows in greenhouses in proprietary vine-like systems. The company’s technology encloses each plant in a medium less (no soil), microclimate bubble, which is monitored and optimized for growth and mitigating contamination. Engineers Jacques and Eugene van Buuren, who initially built their first greenhouse in South Africa, created the novel technology.

Eden Green Technology expects to grow 10 to 15 harvests a year, compared to an average of two harvests for conventional, soil-based farms. The company’s technology enables plants to feed on a continuous flow of nutrient-filled water and natural sunlight instead of LED lights; this enables the company to save on energy and optimize produce growth and nutrients. The greenhouse also captures carbon gas, which the plants absorb for fuel. With the use of sunlight, Eden Green Technology facilities use less electricity so that their energy cost is one-eighth the cost of cooling regular greenhouses.

Private investors have invested $22 million in Eden Green Technology and its expansion. Eden Green Technology’s unique business model is not dependent on government subsidies.

“Eden Green Technology not only cracks the food code, it cracks the scale code,” said Jack Dweck, co-chairman and founder of Earthbound, which researches agricultural and fresh food technologies. “Its ability to scale tremendously well makes them viable economically, and that is key against any competition.”

The first Crisply produce line includes multiple lettuce, greens and herb varietals. Crisply will also offer fresh Stevia leaves in an industry-first sweet salad blend. The produce is planted, picked and packed at the same facility, and kept in an unbroken cold chain to the retailer, decreasing the chances of contamination.

“Eden Green Technology intends to put premium produce at accessible prices on grocery shelves as well as donate fresh produce regularly to food banks so they can be distributed to areas that have long been considered food deserts,” said Trey Thomas, CEO of Eden Green Technology.

The company will donate the first and best portion of every harvest to local communities in need. The North Texas Food Bank will be the first U.S. food bank recipient.

“Access to fresh produce is critical to the success of the North Texas Food Bank and to the health of the neighbors we serve,” said Trisha Cunningham, president and CEO of the North Texas Food Bank. “The vision that we have laid out for our organization is to create a hunger free, healthy North Texas; we know that it will require the support of innovative partners like Eden Green Technology to turn this vision into a reality. We thank them for their generosity as part of the First Fruits initiative and can’t wait to provide this healthy food to our neighbors in need.”

Photos and other visual assets: http://bit.ly/edengreentechnology
Eden Green Technology’s website: www.edengreen.com

About Eden Green Technology
Eden Green Technology, a Dallas-based privately held company, is revolutionizing agriculture at a time when accessibility to safe, healthy and affordable foods is urgently needed. Eden Green Technology grows produce quickly and safely on its proprietary, closed “micro-climate” bubbles and vine systems. The company’s first product line, Crisply, offers organic, non-GMO, pesticide-free, herbicide-free, chemical-free produce. Eden Green Technology wants to ensure accessibility to fresh produce for all populations. The company’s goal is to eliminate the problem of fresh food accessibility for every family no matter their economic situation.