St. John’s Antigua- Farmers on the island have gotten kudos from a local agriculture supply firm, which is currently seeking to foster a greater partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture.

Managing Director of Breekat Enterprises Brian Edwards said farmers are operating their farms adequately with very little resources.

Edwards, who recently conducted a tour of several livestock and crop farms across the island, said he was pleased with what he saw.

“What we have noticed and we have to commend the farmers in Antigua, they do a very great job with very little resources in some cases and sometimes very little help,” Edwards noted, during a cocktail reception Wednesday evening.

He said, too, that the farms were well kept and that farmers seemingly followed the right procedures.

“We realize that a lot of the farmers don’t have to use de-wormers and extra additives because of the good husbandry practices that they have in place,” the managing director added.

The privately – owned company is working in tandem with the ministry to provide further technical assistance to farmers, who are plagued by a number of problems.

During the course of the week, the company also conducted two separate training seminars for both livestock and crop farmers.

“It’s about going into the field and identifying what the problems are; what equipment is needed and how can we help them to achieve those while at the same time increasing their level of productivity,” Thompson said.

During the week, local farmers got a chance to learn and interact with regional partners who have extensive background in the farming industry. They received advice on best practices to be utilized for the further advancement of their businesses.