The Cabinet has ordered that all leased farmlands left idle must be placed into production within 30 days or be reassigned to active farmers, as the government accelerates its food-security strategy amid concerns about rising geopolitical tensions in regional waters.
Cabinet spokesman Maurice Merchant announced the decision during Friday’s post-Cabinet briefing, saying the directive is part of a wider effort to increase domestic agricultural output given the vulnerability of imports to external shocks.
According to Merchant, the Cabinet agreed that any farmer holding leased government land must show activity on the acreage within 30 days. If no work is observed, the Ministry of Agriculture will remove the lease and reassign the land to farmers or cooperatives “who are ready to cultivate”.
Merchant said the move is “not punitive” but necessary as approximately 90 percent of the country’s food supply is imported, leaving Antigua and Barbuda exposed if shipping routes are disrupted. He noted that the government is particularly concerned about military activity involving Venezuela and the United States in nearby waters, warning that any escalation could affect cargo movements to the island.
Compliance monitoring will be handled by the Ministry of Agriculture’s dedicated unit, Merchant said. Officers will check leased plots, report to senior officials and then to Minister Anthony Smith, who will update the Cabinet on enforcement.
In addition to reclaiming unused land, Merchant said the Cabinet instructed the ministry to accelerate a suite of support measures for active farmers, including fencing to reduce praedial larceny, expanded nursery production, wider seedling distribution, new wells and dams, lighting for farms, improvements to access roads, and fuel subsidies for both farmers and fisherfolk.
He added that the government will meet with a group of farmers next week as part of its new weekly sector-engagement program, following this week’s session with 14 building contractors.
The Cabinet said the combination of land reassignment and expanded support is intended to ensure Antigua and Barbuda is better positioned to withstand external shocks and strengthen domestic food resilience.