The Department of Agriculture is planning several activities in commemoration of World Food Day on Oct. 16.

Phillip Sydney of the Department of Agriculture, said the activities will include a World Food Day fair at Fond d’Or in Dennery on Oct 14, a food sampling session with the Cabinet of Ministers on Oct. 15, and a World Food Day address on Oct. 16.

“We plan to open with a church service at La Ressource in observance of World Food Day, and then we will spend the day at Fond d’Or. There will be lots of things to see, and we will be able to view everything that is produced locally on that day,” he said. “We are also hoping that on Oct 15, we can allow the Cabinet of Ministers to have some of our local food in the spirit of World Food Day, and there will be an address by the minister on Oct 16.”

The 2018 World Food Day observance will focus on empowering rural agriculturists.

“The idea of empowerment is what we’re focused on this time around for World Food Day in Saint Lucia. The whole idea is those persons that we have empowered and worked with to ensure that they are able to get their agro-processing sorted out, can now do it within their locale. So if within their locale they are able to use the raw materials available, it means they are buying from the local farmers so that money is being circulated.”

The Department of Agriculture hopes to bring all agro processors together so Saint Lucians can view the range of local products.