Many fishing boats in Dominica were ruined during the passage of Hurricane Maria (photo: FAO)

10 October 2017: Bridgetown, Barbados: In the aftermath of destruction caused by Hurricanes Irma and Maria last month, the FAO Subregional Office for the Caribbean (SLC) is working to determine damage and losses and recovery needs for the agriculture sector in the affected nations of Antigua and Barbuda, Dominica and St. Kitts and Nevis.

Both tropical cyclones brought strong winds and torrential rains that caused swollen rivers, flash floods and landslides in those countries, severely damaging farm housing, irrigation infrastructure, feeder roads, crop and livestock production, forest reserves and coastal fisheries.

To evaluate the damages to agriculture and its subsectors, as well as prioritize recovery interventions, the FAO SLC participated in the multi-sectoral Rapid Needs Assessment Team (RNAT) led by the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA) in Dominica.  

“High on the priority of countries affected by hurricanes is the restoration of agricultural production for food and nutrition security. To achieve this, the Rapid Needs Assessment is needed to determine the areas which are most badly

affected and the priority needs, and to identify the vulnerable populations. FAO stands committed to assist the countries in their recovery efforts,” said Dr. Lystra Fletcher-Paul, FAO Subregional Coordinator for the Caribbean.  

The RNAT assessment included a review of aerial photography, visits to communities close to the capital Roseau, and interviews with representatives of a large fisheries cooperatives, the Director of Agriculture and some farmers.

Results indicate that Dominica suffered the most damage from Hurricane Maria in the Eastern Caribbean; its agricultural sector was decimated, directly impacting income, food and nutrition security for a large percentage of the island’s population.

“Dominica was an important producer and exporter of vegetables, tubers and fruits such as banana. Therefore, the destruction caused by Maria will not only compromise the national economy and food security of the local population but will also manifest its effects in other countries of the region usually relying on Dominica’s agricultural supply,” said

Daniele Barelli, FAO SLC Emergency Focal Point and Disaster Risk Management Specialist, who participated in the Dominica assessment.  

 Daniele Barelli was also recently deployed to Antigua and Barbuda and St. Kitts and Nevis. In each country, he provided technical support to the Ministry of Agriculture during the emergency response on behalf of the Subregional Office for the Caribbean. 

Antigua and Barbuda’s post-Irma agricultural needs assessment was conducted by a team comprising the Honourable Arthur Nibbs, Minister of Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and Barbuda Affairs, as well as Colin O’Keiffe, the Ministry’s Permanent Secretary, Jedidiah Maxime, Director of Agriculture, and various heads of crop, livestock and fishery divisions. It also included a field mission to Barbuda.

While Hurricane Irma caused significant damage to Antigua, it caused extreme destruction on Barbuda and forced the island’s entire population to be evacuated. Agricultural impacts include a depletion of standing crops, agricultural stations, a 250-acre coconut plantation, agricultural equipment and machinery. In addition, the livestock subsector was affected with losses of small and larger animals as well as shelter facilities. During the passage of the storm, many fishing boats, gears and other equipment were lost and destroyed, negatively affecting the fisheries sector.

St. Kitts and Nevis was affected by both hurricanes, and the FAO SLC assessment indicates the ruin of vegetable production such as sweet potatoes, lettuce and cucumbers. Other impacts include damages to animal shelters, greenhouses, as well as the death of livestock.

Following these initial post-hurricane impact assessments, the FAO Subregional Office for the Caribbean will continue to assist Ministries of Agriculture in the countries visited to mobilize resources and provide technical assistance to support efforts to rehabilitate their agriculture sectors.

“Agriculture, including fisheries, remains an important sector for the livelihoods of many people in the Caribbean region, especially in Dominica. FAO is working closely with the Governments of the countries affected and other agencies including the World Food Programme (WFP), the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), and the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI) in order to implement a coordinated, timely and effective response,” said Daniele Barelli. “Funding constraints to respond to emergency situations remain yet an issue and we hope that the donor community will help FAO and its partners to rehabilitate the agricultural sector in the short, medium and long term to build resilient communities.”