Prolonged drought leaves Caribbean farmers broke, worried

By Michelle Nurse On Jun 3, 2015

Cattle seek refuge from the searing heat among shrubbery in Union Island, St. Vincent and the Grenadines. (Photo via Kenton X. Chance/IPS)

CASTRIES, Wednesday June 3, 2015 (IPS) – Saint Lucian farmer Anthony Herman was hoping that next year he’d manage to recoup some of the losses he sustained after 70 per cent of his cashew crop withered and died in the heat of the scorching southern Caribbean sun.[su_pullquote align=”right”]“When we hear of the threat of drought that’s going to be lengthened this year and going into next year, this to me, is frightening.” – Anthony Herman, farmer [/su_pullquote]

But on June 1, the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season which coincides with the rainy season, the 63-year-old man, who has been farming for four decades, received “frightening” news about weather conditions in the Region over the next year or so.

The 2015 wet season in the Caribbean, which runs from June to November, has been forecast to be drier than normal and a similar prediction has been issued for the 2016 dry season. This follows on a drier than normal dry season in 2015.