Reviving traditional agricultural industries: Challenges and prospects of the arrowroot industry in Saint Vincent and the Grenadines

Recent growth in the arrowroot industry, driven by increased demand for gluten‐free products, presents an opportunity for historical leaders, such as St. Vincent and the Grenadines. Once acclaimed as the Caribbean region's premiere arrowroot producer, SVG's production declined due to economic stresses and weak institutional support. Recent exposure to climate extremes, such as Hurricane Beryl of 2024, underscores the need for a thorough assessment of historical factors to ensure the industry's revival. This paper uses a qualitative approach, applying in‐depth longitudinal historical analyses through 60 desk reviews (government reports, parliamentary transcripts, newspaper articles, and academic publications) and 48 semi‐structured interviews with farmers and policymakers. Analysis reveals socioeconomic and technological challenges influenced by external and internal forces (trade liberalization policies, inadequate institutional support, ageing agricultural workforce and gradual shifts from arrowroot cultivation). While recent governments attempt to revive the industry through joint ventures and funding acquisition for a modern processing plant, success hinges on effectively addressing the concerns of local farmers attracting younger individuals and adopting mechanization and new strains of arrowroot varieties to increase production. By centring the lived experiences of rural actors, the study contributes new insights into agricultural transformation dynamics in Small Island Developing States.