The government has reclaimed 682 acres of abandoned and underutilised agricultural land and will begin redistributing the acreage to 50 vetted farmers as part of an effort to increase local food production and strengthen national food security.
Gov Reclaims Idle Agricultural
The initiative, outlined during Wednesday’s Cabinet meeting, targets government-owned lands that have remained unproductive for more than four years. The reclaimed properties include lands managed by the Agriculture Extension Division, the Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC), livestock holdings and parcels with unresolved ownership.
Director General of Communications Maurice Merchant said the repossession forms part of a policy announced several months ago to recover agricultural lands that had been allocated but were no longer being productively farmed.
“The process is continuing,” Merchant said during Thursday’s post-Cabinet media briefing, noting that the ministry is now in possession of approximately 682 acres that will be put back into production.
The first phase of the programme will see 50 qualified farmers receive land allocations, with recipients selected from a pool of vetted applicants through the Agriculture Extension Division. Allocations will be made in the order applications were received and approved.
To ensure the land is actively cultivated, farmers will initially receive their allocations on a six-month probationary basis. During that period, the Ministry of Agriculture will monitor cultivation, productivity and compliance with agreed development plans. Farmers who demonstrate sustained production will then qualify for longer-term occupancy.
Merchant said the probationary period is intended to ensure accountability and guarantee that redistributed lands are put to productive use.
Reportedly a significant portion of abandoned livestock lands in the northeast of Antigua, including Pares, Parham Lodge, Betty’s Hope and Comfort Hall, has been earmarked for conversion to crop production in a bid to maximise agricultural output.
Government says the repossession initiative is designed to ensure government-owned agricultural lands are placed in the hands of farmers capable of contributing meaningfully to the nation’s food supply.
The government also reaffirmed that duty-free and tax concessions on agricultural and fisheries equipment will only be granted to registered farmers and fisherfolk who are actively engaged in production, saying the policy is intended to ensure public incentives benefit bona fide producers while safeguarding public resources.
Asked whether farmers who previously lost agricultural lands because they failed to utilise them would have another opportunity to receive government land, Merchant said they would likely be eligible to apply again, but “they certainly will not be top of the pecking order.”
Government says the redistribution programme forms part of its wider strategy to increase domestic food production, reduce dependence on imported food, improve rural livelihoods and strengthen national resilience. It added that productive farmers will continue to receive support through access to land, technical assistance and targeted incentives aimed at building a modern and sustainable agricultural sector.
