Climate Smart Farming - An exchange among grantees in La Croix Maingot, Castries

The Saint Lucia National Conservation Fund (SLUNCF) and Republic  Bank (EC) Ltd., hosted an engaging grantee exchange on World Food Day, October  16, 2025, at Amb’s Harvest in La Croix Maingot, to showcase practical applications of climate-smart agriculture and its role in  strengthening food security across Saint Lucia.

The highlight of the event was Amb’s Harvest’s innovative Hydroponic Grow Bag  System, a model demonstration that increases the year-round production of  vegetables while minimizing pesticide use. The system serves as both an educational  platform for students and a replicable model for small-scale farmers seeking to adopt  sustainable technologies.

Students from the Babonneau Secondary School experienced hands-on learning  during the visit, exploring how hydroponics integrates into modern farming practices  and contributes to Saint Lucia’s food security and school feeding programmes.  “This exchange served as a platform for knowledge sharing, collaboration, and  inspiration, further strengthening the capacity of local organizations to effect  meaningful transformation within their communities.” -Diana Joseph, SLUNCF.

Republic Bank’s Corporate Social Responsibility, under  the Bank’s Power to Make A Difference (PMAD) Programme,  efforts continue to play a vital role in  advancing the goals of the SLUNCF’s Pro-Nature Grants Programme — bridging  community innovation with financial and technical support to build a more sustainable  Saint Lucia. Through this initiative, Republic Bank (EC) and SLUNCF are empowering communities  to implement innovative, climate-smart solutions that align with Saint Lucia’s national  development priorities and the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals  (SDGs).