The Ministry of agriculture recently attempted to establish fourteen hectares of cocoa through a European Union Global Climate Change Alliance program.

Chief Extension Officer in the Ministry of Agriculture, Food Production, Fisheries, Cooperatives and Rural Development, Kemuel Jn. Baptiste, said the ministry remains committed to revitalizing and expanding Saint Lucia's cocoa industry.

Recently, the ministry attempted to establish fourteen hectares of cocoa through a European Union Global Climate Change Alliance program. The program was done in partnership with the Caribbean Community Climate Change Centre (CCCCC).

"The government sources funding from different supporting agencies and makes it available to the farming community as a means of saying we [need] this crop. This crop has potential, and those who come after us will have farms and livelihoods [to sustain them]."

The program is not without challenges. The most recent plan encountered setbacks due to weather events.

"We started an expansion program in 2008, to expand by 100 acres and rehabilitate about 300 acres. It so happened that we ran into Hurricane Tomas and it halted that process. By then, we had established some 80 plus acres, and all this planting material was actually given to the farmers free of charge."

Despite the hindrances, the island’s cocoa industry continues to progress.

The Ministry invites interested parties to liaise with their nearest extension officer for more information.