In the old days, it was Exhibition Day, said Natural Resources
and Labour Minister Dr. Kedrick Pickering. But for the last 20 years, it’s been a whole week to celebrate, honour and encourage the territory’s farmers, who Dr. Pickering said should not be taken for granted.
“As the Virgin Islands are highly dependent on external sources of food supplies, it is conceivable that we can become a part of the frightening statistics,” Dr. Pickering said at the official opening of Farmers’ Week in Paraquita Bay Friday. He was referring to the United Nations’ estimate that there are 925 million hungry people in the world.
Dr. Pickering pledged his ministry’s support for the farming industry, especially “large-scale production of food.”
Farmers’ Week activities continue Monday on Anegada, Tuesday on Jost Van Dyke and Thursday on Virgin Gorda.
See the Feb. 16, 2012 edition for further coverage.