The St. Kitts and Nevis government has welcomed the inclusion of the twin-island Federation in the Regional Economical Agri-Insurance Programme (REAP), developed by the St. Vincent and the Grenadines-based Lynch Caribbean Brokers Ltd.
The announcement was made during the 19th Caribbean Week of Agriculture (CWA 2025), recently held in St. Kitts. Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources Minister Samal Duggins described the initiative as a vital pillar for national resilience and regional innovation.
“Agriculture and fisheries remain at the heart of our nation’s food security, livelihoods, and economic resilience. Yet, farmers and fishers are increasingly vulnerable to risks beyond their control—climate change, unpredictable weather patterns, natural disasters, pests, and market volatility,” Duggins said.
Under the REAP project, local farmers and fishers will benefit from a regional insurance programme designed to reduce vulnerability to natural disasters, market shocks, and the growing impacts of climate change. The initiative, set to launch soon in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Marine Resources, offers a flexible multi-peril parametric insurance model tailored for the agriculture and fisheries sectors.
Unlike traditional insurance systems that rely on individual loss assessments, REAP uses advanced index-based data and satellite monitoring to trigger payouts once pre-defined thresholds are met or surpassed. The coverage spans crops, livestock, and fisheries, providing comprehensive protection for producers across the Federation.
The government will cover the insurance premiums for all registered farmers and fishers. Once a payout index is triggered, beneficiaries are notified within two to three weeks, and payments are distributed directly per policy.
St. Kitts and Nevis is among nine Caribbean Community (CARICOM) countries that have signed onto the programme. St. Lucia officially launched REAP in July 2025.
Lynch Caribbean Brokers Managing Director Damian Bowen said the programme’s design was informed by extensive national consultations. “REAP’s development was the result of careful collaboration with key stakeholders during the first quarter of 2025,” he said. “Together with experts from the Ministry of Agriculture and members of the farming and fishing communities, we created a model tailored to real needs rather than abstract assumptions.”
In a statement, Lynch Caribbean Brokers Ltd added that “REAP is not a product on a shelf, it is an agri-insurance value chain in motion,” integrating technology, local expertise, and regional cooperation to build agricultural resilience.
Beyond financial protection, REAP will introduce livelihood protection measures, a national enrolment campaign, public education seminars, and digital dashboards aimed at improving transparency and data-driven decision-making across the sector.
Minister Duggins reaffirmed the government’s commitment to building resilience in agriculture and fisheries. “These tools are not luxuries—they are necessities that provide a safety net, ensuring that the men and women who dedicate their lives to feeding our people can recover quickly after shocks and continue their work without being pushed into financial hardship,” he said.
