Last Updated on October 5, 2025, 11:14 PM AST by Anthony Morris
Minister Samal Duggins took charge of the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Marine Resources and Cooperatives in 2022. Ever since taking charge, Minister Duggins has made diligent efforts to transform the agriculture and fisheries sectors of the federation.
Under his leadership, agriculture stakeholders of St Kitts and Nevis have taken steps towards turning the country into a model for Sustainable Agriculture. Further, the Ministry under his guidance has also taken steps to improve food security in the country.
The Minister and his team has made use of innovation and farmer focussed approach to bring about lasting improvements in the sector. During his tenure so far, Minister Samal Duggins has helped bring changes that will help the local farmers in the long run.
Initiatives and Advancements
The Sustainable Agriculture for Everyone (SAFE)
The Sustainable Agriculture for Everyone (SAFE) initiative is a highly notable initiative started by the Minister of Agriculture, Samal Duggins during his tenure. Under this flagship initiative, hundreds of farmers have received seedlings so far.
The Ministry of Agriculture is also promoting the backyard farming initiative to allow every household in the country to contribute to food security. The efforts of the Minister of Agriculture and his team align with the CARICOM’s 25 by 25 Agenda.
Greenhouse Village Project
This project was started with the aim of improving the impact of the SAFE initiative and introduced climate smart technology to the agriculture sector. The aim of the introduction of this project is to allow for year round agriculture in the country and improve employment opportunities for the youngsters.
The Minster is dedicated to ensuring that the sector can continue to flourish in the long run. This is the vision of Samal Duggins and His team.
Post Harvest Facilities
The responsibility of the Agriculture Ministry does not end with the sowing of the crop, but extends far beyond the harvest season. Minister Duggins understands that responsibility and places significant weight on protecting the farmers against post Harvest losses.
Post Harvest season is resource consuming and takes large chunks of the farmers’ earning, which is counter productive to their well-being. As such, Minister Duggins established modern storage and cold chain facilities.
These structures make sure that the produce can remain fresh for long periods, which helps in improving farmers’ incomes. The Ministry is also investing in the Tobasco Farming, which will help increase profitability of the sector.
The Blue Economy
The Ministry led by Minister Samal Duggins introduced small scale farmers to subsurface Fish Aggregating Devices (FADs). These devices have increased the output of small scale farmers by a great margin.
To complement this, the Ministry also rehabilitated fish depots, improving storage capacity. With the introduction of the Biodegradable Fish Pots and exploration in Shrimp agriculture, the Ministry is looking forward in every way.
Technology and Partnerships
In integrating technology in the workings of the Agriculture Sector, the Ministry introduced the 869ToGo online platform. This platform can be used by farmers to connect with customers and buyers directly.
This same mandate is also achieved by the agricultural open days which are hosted every month for the locals to get fresh produce and for farmers to sell their produce directly to the locals. The Ministry has also secured partnerships with the Southern University and Ross University School of Veterinary Medicine.
These partnerships are proof that Minister Samal Duggins and his team have been working for the agricultural sector of the country with a forward thinking vision.
Anthony Morris covers stories related to politics and regional developments. His in-depth reporting about governance and reforms makes him stand out in regional journalism, with a deep analysis of political trends and their impact on Caribbean communities.
