Government Invites Applications for Commercial Agriculture and
The Government of the Virgin Islands has launched a Commercial Agriculture and Fisheries Grant Programme to strengthen local food production and economic opportunities, with Cabinet approving a budget allocation of $136,521.86 for the current financial year (BVI News). Applications opened on January 16; the first call for applications closes on February 13, and the scheme will be administered through the Premier’s Office with support from the ministry responsible for agriculture and fisheries (Government press release; BVI News).
The Government of the Virgin Islands has launched a Commercial Agriculture and Fisheries Grant Programme aimed at strengthening local food production, improving food security and expanding economic opportunities across the Territory, the Government said in a press release following earlier reporting by Virgin Islands News Online (VINO).
Cabinet approved the new policy, titled From Land and Sea to Enterprise: Unlocking the Economic Potential of Agriculture and Fisheries, on January 7, and the initiative was formally announced during a recent House of Assembly sitting, BVI News reported. For the current financial year Cabinet has allocated $136,521.86 to support the programme (BVI News).
The programme offers targeted financial and in-kind assistance to support equipment and production inputs, vessel and facility repairs and upgrades, processing and packaging, innovation and modern technology, and training and capacity-building initiatives. The Government stressed that grant funding may not be used to purchase land (Government press release).
Funding is available across three tiers designed to match operation size: up to $10,000 for small-scale operations, up to $25,000 for medium-scale operations, and up to $50,000 for large-scale commercial ventures. Applicants may submit more than one application in a fiscal year, subject to the applicable funding ceiling, and all applications will be assessed by the Commercial Agriculture and Fisheries Grant Committee in accordance with the approved policy (Government press release).
Eligible applicants include registered commercial farmers, licensed commercial fishers, agro-processors, fish processors and new entrants who can present viable commercial operations supported by sound business plans. The policy defines agriculture and fisheries broadly to include food and non-food crops, livestock, aquaculture, agro-processing, fish processing and innovation within the Blue Economy, and it emphasises value-added activities and job creation (BVI News; Government press release).
The Premier emphasised the programme is “not a hand-out programme. It is an investment programme,” the Government told lawmakers, underscoring the goal of moving producers from subsistence or informal activity to registered, commercially viable enterprises capable of supplying local markets and tourism businesses (BVI News).
Administration of the programme will fall under the Premier’s Office and the ministry responsible for agriculture and fisheries, supported by a multi-disciplinary grant committee. An advertisement inviting qualified individuals to serve on the Commercial Agriculture and Fisheries Grant Committee has already been issued and appointments will be finalised in accordance with established procedures (BVI News; Government press release).
Applications opened on January 16 and the first call will close on February 13; application forms and guidance are available on the Government of the Virgin Islands website (gov.vg) and can be collected in person from the Premier’s Office, the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, District offices, Territorial At-Large Representatives and the Sister Islands Coordinator.
For enquiries the Government provided contacts including Angela U. Burns, Premier’s Office Information Officer (tel: +1 284 468 9445, email: aburns@gov.vg), the Government switchboard at (284) 468-3701, a WhatsApp number at +1 284 468-9760, and its office at 33 Admin Drive, Wickhams Cay 1, Tortola (Government press release).
The policy aligns with the Virgin Islands Food Security and Sustainability Act, 2022 and Vision 2036 and is aimed especially at supporting small-scale producers in the Sister Islands and young entrepreneurs seeking to enter agro-processing or modern fish processing. Applicants are encouraged to review eligibility requirements and application instructions carefully on gov.vg before submitting proposals (Government press release; VINO).
Primary source: BVI Government