Unproductive farmers will have land taken away under new initiative
Those farmers who have been leased land but are not producing will see their lands being taken away from them.
This new initiative will give these farmers 30 days “from today to put their land into production. Failing this, government will reallocate the acreage to farmers and corporates who are ready to cultivate”.
“Now, the Ministry of Agriculture, they do have a registry of all of the farmlands in Antigua that have been leased by government and so 30 days and there is no action, then the ministry will identify farmers who have been productive and who would require additional farmlands to bring their farming up to another level, and they will be assigned these farmlands once they are capable of operating these farmlands and so it’s a simple criteria. Don’t perform, then it’s assigned to performers,” Cabinet Spokesperson Maurice Merchant explained.
Cabinet underscored that this measure is not a punitive one, but it is very necessary at this time to ensure the nation’s agricultural assets are fully contributing to food security, employment, and sustainable economic resilience.
I agree with the government. They wasting time and resource
This isn’t punishment. It’s accountability. Plenty people using farmland for vibes, not farming.
The government’s 30-day repossession notice to farmers is alarming, especially when many producers still lack the basic support needed to be productive — seeds, inputs, equipment, irrigation, and financing. Punitive deadlines without real assistance will not fix the core problems in agriculture.
This move is even more concerning given that it is happening under Olabanjo, whose involvement in the government’s controversial migrant episode left lingering public doubts about transparency and judgment. Until those questions are fully addressed, any drastic action involving land will naturally attract skepticism.
Antiguans must therefore ask: Why rush to repossess instead of properly supporting farmers? Why ignore structural challenges while threatening livelihoods? And why should the public trust such a severe initiative when confidence in the Ministry’s leadership remains unsettled?
If the government is serious about boosting agriculture, then genuine, tangible support — not threats — should come first.
It’s about time AND it’s only fair.👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽
If you’re leasing government land and not producing, you’re blocking somebody else’s opportunity. Time to move aside
Honestly, 30 days is more than fair. Some of these lands have been bush for years while real farmers are begging for space
Finally! Agriculture is too important for people to be sitting on leased land like it’s decoration
Hopefully this will revitalize agriculture in Antigua and Barbuda, but I fear it might hurt farmers already struggling due to circumstances beyond their control
Please give some assistance to farmer’s who maybe struggling and render assistance before repossessing.
The Government need to just call the name he want to call. Serpy! Stop painting the matter with a broad brush when is one man yall behind!
Some farmers might genuinely be struggling with costs or drought. Hope the ministry is willing to support not just threaten