By S.Browne. Updated 4:00 p.m., Tuesday, June 2, 2026, Atlantic Standard Time (GMT-4).
A women-led agricultural initiative born out of food security concerns following the 2021 volcanic eruption in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines is expanding its operations after receiving approximately EC$54,000 in support from the Sandals Foundation.
According to the Sandals Foundation, an investment of approximately EC$54,000 provided participants with commercial agro-processing support, including a dehydrator, industrial stove, refrigerator, slicer and grinder, as well as training.
The foundation said that this support has enabled members to transform surplus harvests into value-added products, including ginger and turmeric powders, grated coconut and fruit blends, as they prepare to enter formal retail markets. One of the group’s products, crystallised ginger, is already gaining traction locally and internationally, both as a snack and for its medicinal benefits.
The Eco Home Gardens (EHG) Project began when a group of women came together at the Kingstown Baptist Church to prepare meals for displaced families following the 2023 volcanic eruption. Concerned about food shortages, they began planting vegetable crops and later transformed underutilised spaces at the Botanical Gardens and the Intermediate High School into thriving community gardens.
The initiative now includes administrators, teachers, bankers, nurses, housewives and grandmothers, who cultivate a range of crops including tomatoes, sweet and flavour peppers, broccoli, celery, spinach, beans, ochros and potatoes. The group employs sustainable growing methods supported through technical guidance from the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Conservation Fund (SVGCF) and other trained practitioners.
“We started because we were afraid—afraid there wouldn’t be enough food. We knew nothing about farming, but we knew we had to do something. So, we came together, we learned, and now we’re producing—not just for ourselves, but for others as well,” said Bernadette Duncan, President of the Eco Home Gardens Project.
“I started making the crystallized ginger because I was ill and couldn’t find it anywhere when I needed it. Now it’s helping people with sinus issues, colds, and coughs—and they’re buying it, even taking it overseas. That’s when I realized this was bigger than just us,” Duncan added.
Beyond processing, the group has also focused on strengthening food safety and market readiness through training in food safety, product development, branding, marketing and labelling to meet the requirements of the St. Vincent and the Grenadines Bureau of Standards.
“We didn’t just learn how to grow—we learned how to present, how to package, how to meet standards. That changed everything. Now we’re ready for supermarket shelves, not just stalls,” said Sylvia Richards, who leads agro-processing efforts within the group.
Richards also noted the importance of reducing waste through value-added production.
“There’s so much produce here that goes to waste—tomatoes, ginger, everything. You see it spoil, and you know it could be something more. Now, we’re taking what would have been lost and turning it into products people actually want and need,” she said.
The project continues to prioritise organic farming and climate-smart agriculture. Members have adopted techniques such as drip irrigation, rainwater harvesting and the use of coconut coir to retain soil moisture.
“With guidance from facilitators through the SVG Conservation Fund, we learned practical techniques that helped the garden thrive, even in difficult conditions. Through sponsorship from the New Zealand High Commission, we installed drip irrigation, are harvesting water from the school’s roof, and using coconut coir to help keep the soil moist during the heat,” Duncan said.
For Odini Sutherland, a fashion designer with no prior farming experience, the initiative has reshaped her understanding of sustainability.
“I’m a fashion designer—I’ve never farmed a day in my life, but being part of this has changed how I think about food, about sustainability, about what we can create for ourselves. It showed me that you don’t have to start as an expert—you just have to start,” Sutherland said.
Heidi Clarke, Executive Director of the Sandals Foundation, said the initiative reflects how communities can build resilience and opportunity through agriculture.
“What these women have built is powerful. They have taken a moment of uncertainty and turned it into opportunity—not just for themselves, but for their communities. This is what moving hope forward looks like—creating systems that sustain livelihoods, strengthen food security, and empower people to shape their own futures,” Clarke said.
The Sandals Foundation said it supports people-first solutions across the Caribbean focused on strengthening food security and expanding economic opportunities for women and other marginalised groups in Grenada, Jamaica, Turks and Caicos Islands, Antigua, Barbados and The Bahamas.
All images were provided by Sandals Foundation.
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