Canadian Government gives financial support to the DEAR Project through Global Affairs Canada

The Government of Canada, through Global Affairs Canada, has announced financial support for the World University Service of Canada’s WUSC Caribbean/Dominica Emergency Agricultural Recovery (DEAR) Project. 
 
Canada’s Disaster Responsive Fund is providing XCD $350,000 to the project, which will support the rehabilitation of Dominica’s domestic ‘Irish’ potato crop.  WUSC Caribbean, working in collaboration with Dominica’s Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries, with additional support from private donors, will provide the following support to potato farmers that have been affected by Hurricane Maria:
 
· A 20-foot container of elite potato seed varieties is being imported from Canada in early December, 2017
· Support for land clearing and preparation of fields previously used by farmers for potato production, including the provision of two tillers and chain saws to the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries;
· Providing farmers with essential tools required for agricultural production to replace those lost during the hurricane;
· Providing farmers with the agricultural inputs required to produce the potato crop (as approved by the Ministry); and
· Support in the form of technical support and training, in collaboration with the Ministry agriculture extension service teams.
 
Through the PROPEL project, further funding has been approved to support DEXIA farmers, DYBT youth and women farmers, and women of the central universal farmers group in sustainable agriculture practices.  These are all geared at ensuring that farmers are able to regain their productive base post Hurricane Maria.
 
Furthermore, a public appeal has been issued to raise funds from the Canadian public, which will also be diverted to support the Agriculture recovery program in Dominica.  
 
WUSC Caribbean has been implementing the PROPEL project in Dominica over the past 3 years and will continue to provide support to the agriculture sector in Dominica through PROPEL.