OECS delivers a boat to Seamoss Farmers in Dominica
OECS – The Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS), through the European Union (EU), funded the BioSPACE project and donated a new fibreglass boat to the Woodford Hill Bay sea moss farmers in the Commonwealth of Dominica.
The boat, valued at $72,000 EC Dollars and measuring 26 feet long, was manufactured locally in Dominica. It will enhance the livelihoods of the seamless farmers and promote sustainable seamless farming practices in the region.
In recent years, sea moss production has become a significant source of income for many individuals in the OECS, particularly women in rural communities. During the handover ceremony, Lucien Blackmore, Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Environment, Rural Modernisation, Kalinago Upliftment and Constituency Empowerment of Dominica, emphasised that the blue economy has been a part of our existence in the region for a very long time. Mr. Ryan added, “If we have to go forward as a country, we need strong communities.”
Mr. Chamberlain Emmanuel, Head of the OECS Environmental Sustainability Division, highlighted the broader goals of the OECS, saying,
“One of the Organisation’s strategic priorities speaks about reinventing the economy towards a vision of a model green blue economy region that is economically viable, climate-resilient, with long term prosperity for the entire population, and in particular its most vulnerable to socioeconomic inclusiveness, responsible management of the coastal, marine and other ecological resources, and transparent, participatory governance. The OECS regional integration movement is helping to support your aspirations and grow your efforts by learning from our collective experiences and using our joint capacities as a region for Small Island States with our differences and similarities to partner with agencies such as the European Union.”
Emmanuel further underscored the importance of sea moss production, stating, “Seamoss production has the potential to generate sustainable income, mitigate poverty, improve the livelihoods and nutrition of people and communities involved, and helps to reduce the unsustainable harvesting of the natural stocks.”
A local sea moss farmer, Wilson Honore expressed his gratitude, saying, “Woodford Hill Seamoss farmers are working on 17 products, including skin care, beauty care, and hair care products. This is going to make a big difference in moving things forward. We thank the European Union (EU) and the OECS for their support.” The farmers must rent a boat to execute their operation, especially when they have to plant or harvest sea moss.
“The handing over of a boat to support a group of small-scale sea moss farmers in Dominica is an excellent example of the approach of the BioSPACE Programme and the approach that the EU tries to promote in the region. Supporting the development of sustainable economic activities at the community level with a good understanding of the environment in which these activities are taking place is key.”
The donation of this boat will significantly improve the operations of the Woodford Hill sea moss farmers in several ways. It will facilitate the transportation of their seamless plants and farming equipment, such as nets, ropes, and anchors, to the farming sites in the coastal waters and carry the harvested sea moss back to land for processing. It will also help with regularly monitoring and maintaining the sea moss crops. Furthermore, as the sea moss farming business grows, the boat will enable farmers to explore and utilise other planting sites that provide optimal growing conditions, thus supporting the expansion of their farming operation.
Mr. Derrick Theophille, Chief Fisheries Officer in Dominica, expressed his commitment to the project, stating,
“The fisheries division stands committed to working with our partners at all levels to ensure that this project remains a success and remains sustainable for livelihoods for the people here in this community and the wider development of Dominica and as we seek to address the issue with import substitution and to address the issue with having raw product available for produce processors locally.”
The OECS and the European Union have a continued partnership and shared commitment to sustainable development and economic resilience in the Eastern Caribbean region.