Farmers will soon be able to apply to government for a combination of interest free loans and grants to help them repair damaged infrastructure and buy replacement livestock, says a Government press release.
The Agriculture Sector Assistance Programme is being implemented under the auspices of the Department of Agriculture.
‘This programme is designed to help the agricultural community get back on its feet after suffering extensive damage from Hurricane Ivan,’ said Gilbert McLean, Minister for Health Services, Agriculture, Aviation and Works.
The Department has already implemented other aspects of the programme, including debris removal on farms, resuscitation of fruit trees, reduction of livestock feed prices by 50 per cent, fence restoration and provision of land cultivation services at reduced rates, the release said.
Other aspects of the programme due to come on stream shortly include provision of free and subsidized planting materials, and the introduction of 50 per cent subsidies on fertilizers and soil ameliorants.
The financial assistance provided under this latest initiative will be limited to farmers who were actively engaged in agricultural production at the time of the hurricane.
The Department, in conjunction with the Portfolio of Finance and Economics, which is responsible for the disbursement of the funds, will be working diligently to ensure that all qualified applicants receive some assistance, said Chief Agricultural and Veterinary Officer Dr. Alfred Benjamin.
‘Each application will be evaluated individually and the amount of financial assistance will be determined based on the extent of losses suffered. In each case the assistance will be a combination of 50 per cent grant and 50 per cent interest free loan,’ he explained.
Loan requirements
Applicants for loans and grants must be Caymanian or Caymanian status holders; must prove that the buildings, structures or equipment they wish to replace were being used in productive farming at the time of the storm; must own or have verifiable secure tenure for the land on which the farming operation is located, and must have planning permission to conduct the type of farming operation or erect the structures on their land.
In addition to replacing infrastructure, these funds will also be targeted towards farmers who need replace livestock lost in the hurricane. ‘The largest levels of livestock losses occurred in the areas of goats and caged poultry,’ confirmed Dr. Benjamin. ‘This financial package will be a tremendous help to those farmers to purchase replacement livestock and get their operations back up to full strength again.’
For more information on the Agriculture Sector Assistance Programme, call 947-3090.
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