On September 22, 2026, Dominica’s Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Blue and Green Economy brought hundreds of livestock industry stakeholders together at Goodwill Parish Hall for a landmark national seminar focused on revitalizing the country’s domestic poultry and pig sectors. Under the guiding theme “Produce Local, Consume Local, Secure the Future,” the collaborative event was co-organized by the Ministry, the East Caribbean Group of Companies (ECGC), and regional local distributors, creating a shared space for cross-sector dialogue and actionable planning.
Attendees spanned every segment of the local livestock ecosystem: small-scale and commercial farmers, veterinary and agricultural technical specialists, animal feed and input suppliers, and retail distribution representatives. Core discussions centered on updating outdated production practices, addressing persistent supply chain gaps, and building more integrated, mutually beneficial connections between producers, processors and local markets to support long-term sector growth.
The seminar unfolded against a backdrop of major public investment in Dominica’s livestock infrastructure, anchored by the fully reconstructed National Abattoir at Layou Park. First destroyed when Hurricane Maria pummeled the island nation in 2017, the upgraded facility represents a transformative upgrade for the local meat industry. Built with more than EC$5 million in government investment, plus additional public funding earmarked for farmer preparedness and production support, the new abattoir boasts a processing capacity of 1,000 poultry birds per hour and up to 50 pigs per day. As of 2026, the facility has entered its final stages of completion and operational testing, with officials set to launch full operations in the coming months.
Government leaders outlined three core goals for the new abattoir: creating a consistent, reliable formal market for local livestock farmers that eliminates inconsistent pricing and market access barriers, raising national meat processing and food safety standards to meet both domestic consumer demand and regional export requirements, and cutting Dominica’s heavy reliance on imported poultry and pork products to keep more food spending within the local economy.
Seminar organizers reported strong engagement from all participating groups, noting that the event successfully created space for on-the-ground producers to voice challenges and collaborate with policymakers and industry leaders to identify practical, implementable solutions for building a more resilient, productive local livestock sector. The seminar and upcoming abattoir launch form part of a broader, ongoing government strategy to expand domestic agricultural output, upskill local farmers, and strengthen the country’s long-term food security by meeting growing consumer demand for locally raised poultry and pork.