ORANJESTAD, St. Eustatius – A new water production system has been installed at the Made in Statia agricultural site, strengthening the island’s capacity for local food production and boosting resilience in times of emergency.
The new water system was developed and installed by Xplorit under its Xploration Coastline Concept (XCC), in collaboration with local staff and volunteers at the site.
The installation has been secured against hurricane conditions and connected to the STUCO electricity grid. In addition to supporting day-to-day agricultural water needs, the unit is designed to serve as a backup water source in emergency situations.
The water system is part of broader efforts to develop the Made in Statia site into a sustainable agricultural hub. Earlier phases of the project — carried out under the Sheltered Workplace and Building Resilience for Food Security (SWBRFS) programme — included repairing greenhouses, preparing farmland, installing irrigation and planting fruit trees.
Skills training
The programme also focuses on skills training, entrepreneurship and crop management, with support from the Labour Department, the Department of Agriculture and Veterinary Services (LVV), local farmers and several Dutch ministries.
