EDITORIAL: Promote local agricultural production

Quite often it has been said by persons in authority that agriculture is one of the sectors that will help us to emerge from this recession; yet, it seems that this is not an idea that many persons have bought into.

As result of that, we still have a case of agriculture not being supported as it should be, and the result is that there are not enough persons who are making employment in this sector their first choice. While we commend those who do enter the sector, the reality is that many who have recently become engaged in farming, be it crop or livestock, see it as only a second source of income or even worse, just a hobby. While others think there is a stigma attached to agriculture, viewing it as intensive, tedious and low paying work, a last resort for those who cannot cut it academically, and then there are those who think that going into the fields is tantamount to going back to slavery.

These beliefs cause them to prefer to stay on the breadline rather than get involved in agriculture. But, if we are to see any progress made in the sector, concerted efforts need to be made to change this unfortunate mindset. The fact is agriculture is changing, utilising more technology and becoming less labour intensive, and there are numerous job opportunities which persons are missing out on, while unemployment remains in double digits. The last statistics released by the Barbados Statistical Service, should that at the end of the second quarter of this year, unemployment stood at 11.4 per cent.

The reality we must face is that unless we can encourage persons to truly embrace agriculture, the sector runs the risk of dying an unfortunate and painful death and Barbados by extension, runs the risk of inheriting an even larger food import bill than we already have. Indeed, the authorities in that sector need to encourage fresh blood to join their ranks and while it may not be an easy task, it is fast becoming a necessity. Additionally, persons must be encouraged to see agriculture not as just farming a few crops, but a viable source of income and encouraging them to utilise the technologies available, to improve the yields from their crops and the quality of the livestock they rear.

We must grow more of what we eat to reduce the quantity of food being imported and to save valuable foreign exchange. Certainly, if we are to improve agricultural productivity and by extension achieve food security, we need also to cultivate a new agricultural class in our society and the requisite environment that would allow success to flourish. Indeed over the last few years and months we have heard of the revenue earning potential that exists in areas such as honey production, the rearing of Black Belly Sheep and the growing of cassava just to name a few. Here in Barbados in 2015, we imported honey at a cost of US$402,822, which was 11 percent more than we paid the previous year. Without a doubt, this is an area we can truly capitalise on.

So Barbadians need to start to view agriculture as a business enterprise and we feel that the new Protection of Agricultural Products and Livestock Act, recently passed by both Houses of Parliament will go a long way in helping to create that environment. That Act seeks to curb praedial larceny, putting mechanisms in place to ensure that all those who are engaged in agricultural production and the sale of those products, are doing so legitimately. This has been long awaited, and we hope that with this new piece of legislation, more persons will be inclined to get into agriculture, knowing that safeguards are in place to protect their investment.

Barbados Advocate

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