Region Rallies for Food Sovereignty—But One Chair Remained Empty

Farmers in St. Kitts and Nevis Renew Call for Immediate Resignation of Agriculture Minister Hon. Samal Duggins

Introduction to the Crisis

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts – May 10, 2025 — While OECS Agriculture Ministers gathered in Saint Vincent on May 2 for a landmark meeting to revolutionize regional food security and resilience, St. Kitts and Nevis stood out—for all the wrong reasons.

In a critical moment for the future of farming in the Eastern Caribbean, the Federation’s Minister of Agriculture was the only absentee from the high-level OECS Council of Ministers for Agriculture, sparking outrage and disbelief across regional and local agricultural circles.

The Meeting and Its Outcomes

The meeting, hailed as a game-changer, unveiled bold new pillars to shift the region from food insecurity to true food sovereignty, addressing soaring import bills, climate change threats, and geopolitical disruptions like the Russia-Ukraine war. Yet, as every other OECS Member State showed up with technical teams and national plans in hand, St. Kitts and Nevis left its seat vacant, raising serious questions about the government’s commitment to agricultural advancement and regional solidarity.

“We’re importing up to 90% of our food. We need all hands on deck,” warned OECS Director General Dr. Didacus Jules in his address. “This is not business as usual—it’s survival.”

Major breakthroughs from the meeting included:

A Regional Agriculture & Fisheries Insurance Scheme to protect farmers from climate disasters;
A sweet and white potato expansion program to bolster local food availability;
Strategic partnerships with Africa for trade in key commodities;
Digital food dashboards, diaspora-backed agro-SME financing, and solar-powered cold storage hubs;
And a new OECS Food Sovereignty and Resilience Council to oversee implementation across all Member States—except, it seems, St. Kitts and Nevis.

Reactions and Implications

While Ministers from Grenada, Saint Lucia, Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica, and others laid the foundation for the region’s agricultural transformation from now to 2035, St. Kitts and Nevis’ unexplained absence has ignited a firestorm of criticism at home.

“Where was the leadership? Where was the vision?” asked one senior farmer from St. Kitts. “We’re crying out for support on the ground, and our Minister can’t even show up to the most important agriculture meeting of the decade?”

With a worsening climate crisis, fragile food imports, and a rising call to “grow what we eat,” the Federation’s no-show appears increasingly tone-deaf—especially in light of the OECS’ aggressive 12-month transition plan to align all national agricultural strategies with its new FAST Strategy (Food and Agriculture Systems Transformation).

In a region uniting around resilience and innovation, St. Kitts and Nevis risks being left behind.

While others are planting seeds for a future of food sovereignty, the Federation’s agriculture leadership seems to be watching from the sidelines.

“It’s not just an empty seat—it’s a missed opportunity,” said a regional policy expert. “And in today’s food crisis, that could cost us dearly.”

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Conclusion

The absence of St. Kitts and Nevis from the OECS Council of Ministers for Agriculture meeting has significant implications for the region’s food security and sovereignty. The Federation’s lack of representation at this critical meeting raises concerns about its commitment to agricultural development and regional cooperation. As the region moves forward with its plans for food sovereignty, St. Kitts and Nevis must take immediate action to address its absence and ensure that it is not left behind.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: What was the purpose of the OECS Council of Ministers for Agriculture meeting?

A: The meeting aimed to revolutionize regional food security and resilience, addressing soaring import bills, climate change threats, and geopolitical disruptions.

Q: Why was St. Kitts and Nevis’ absence from the meeting significant?

A: The absence raised concerns about the government’s commitment to agricultural advancement and regional solidarity, and may have implications for the region’s food security and sovereignty.

Q: What were some of the major breakthroughs from the meeting?

A: The meeting unveiled bold new pillars to shift the region from food insecurity to true food sovereignty, including a Regional Agriculture & Fisheries Insurance Scheme, a sweet and white potato expansion program, and strategic partnerships with Africa.