The Minister for Agriculture, Lands, Fisheries and the Blue Economy, the Honourable Anthony Smith Jr., has informed Cabinet that the Ministry is now in possession
of
4,000 bags of fertilizer from the Kingdom of Morocco
,
secured following negotiations between agriculture officials in Antigua and Barbuda and representatives of the
Government
of Morocco.
Minister Smith advised that distribution to farmers has commenced and will continue throughout this week
,
providing farmers with an important agricultural input as the Government intensifies its programme to increase domestic food production and strengthen national food security.
The 4,000-bag shipment represents
the
largest consignment received since Antigua and Barbuda’s fertilizer cooperation with Morocco began in 2018.
Cabinet welcomed the shipment and expressed its appreciation to the Government and people of the Kingdom of Morocco for their continued support of Antigua and Barbuda’s agricultural development.
The latest shipment builds upon several years of agricultural cooperation between Antigua and Barbuda and Morocco.
In 2025, the Ministry distributed approximately 1,800 bags of fertilizer provided by Morocco, while an earlier shipment in 2023 comprised approximately 1,700 bags for distribution to crop farmers and other producers. The cooperation has focused on providing farmers with essential inputs to improve productivity and strengthen the country’s agricultural sector.
The Ministry has previously explained that the fertilizer partnership forms part of wider technical cooperation aimed at improving agricultural productivity, soil fertility and farming efficiency.
Minister Smith noted that access to quality fertilizer is important to increasing crop yields, since it assists in replenishing essential soil nutrients and enables farmers to obtain greater productivity from land already under cultivation.
Cabinet noted that the fertilizer distribution complements several other initiatives being undertaken to expand agricultural production.
Earlier this year, the Ministry reported that approximately 150 acres of underutilised agricultural land had been repossessed
,
with Cabinet approving the allocation of 75 acres specifically to youth and women farmers. The initiative forms part of
Government’s
policy of placing productive agricultural lands in the hands of farmers capable of increasing domestic output.
Government is also making significant investments in agricultural water infrastructure. In June, Minister Smith informed Cabinet that Antigua and Barbuda had secured approximately US$9 million under a Caribbean Development Bank and Food and Agriculture Organization Soil and Water Management Programme to support the construction of dams, water catchment ponds and other soil and water conservation infrastructure.
Cabinet said that the combination
of
greater access to agricultural land, improved water availability and irrigation, fertilizer and other inputs, and continued technical support for farmers is central to Government’s objective of increasing the quantity of food produced locally and reducing dependence on imported food.
Minister Smith encouraged farmers receiving the fertilizer to make productive use of the assistance to increase their output and strengthen the availability of locally grown produce.
The Minister has described food security as a national objective requiring cooperation between Government and the farming community, reiterating the Ministry’s commitment to providing farmers with the resources necessary to increase production.
Cabinet commended Minister Smith and officials of the Ministry of Agriculture for successfully advancing the negotiations with their Moroccan counterparts and securing the increased shipment.
The Cabinet also renewed the Government’s gratitude to the Kingdom of Morocco for its longstanding friendship and agricultural cooperation with Antigua and Barbuda
,
noting that the 4,000 bags represent a tangible contribution to the country’s drive towards greater food security and agricultural resilience.
Farmers are encouraged to remain in contact with the Ministry of Agriculture and its Extension Division regarding the ongoing distribution arrangements.
This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Cabinet Welcomes 4,000 Bags of Fertilizer from Morocco to Boost Local Food Production.