Climate Smart Agriculture and Rural Enterprise Programme

The Climate-smart Agriculture and Rural Enterprise Programme (SAEP) aims to promote rural business development and climate-smart agricultural practices in rural areas of Grenada. Two of the most significant challenges Grenada faces are common ones for small island developing states: high levels of youth unemployment (above 40 per cent) and vulnerability of agricultural production to climate change and climate variability.

The agricultural sector in Grenada suffers from low productivity levels, an ageing farming population, a large amount of idle land (up to 28 per cent of all agricultural land), a lack of irrigated areas, and inadequate storage and processing facilities. As a result, Grenada depends on food imports for up to 80 per cent of its consumption.

By combining sustainable climate-smart agricultural practices with the development of agroprocessing enterprises, the programme is expected to lead to a significant increase in production and income levels. The goal of the programme is to contribute to the reduction of poverty and vulnerability in rural communities, benefiting around 7,500 households (54 per cent of all rural poor households in the nation).

In particular, SAEP targets two of the most vulnerable groups: smallholder farmers vulnerable to climate change and variability, as well as unemployed and underemployed men and women, with a focus on youth. SAEP promotes innovation and the engagement of young people in the most promising sectors of the rural economy, including farming and non-farming activities (e.g. agroprocessing, ecotourism and renewable energy). It supports ongoing and start-up businesses in rural areas through capacity building, technical services and financing. The programme also provides extension services to farmers with the aim of improving market linkages.

To address climate vulnerability, SAEP helps small farmers adopt sustainable and climate-smart techniques, including more efficient water management as well as conservation measures like irrigation, rainwater harvesting systems, terracing, drainage and mulching.