Hold us accountable, but criticise fairly

By Roger Clarke, Guest Columnist

I TAKE note of the editorial in The Sunday Gleaner, August 12, 2012, titled 'Food crisis and a disjointed Government', in which your paper made certain statements about the Government and, in particular, my stewardship. Far from the impression that is being painted in the minds of the public that there is inertia or lack of vision for the agricultural sector, nothing could be further from the truth.

I am disappointed that The Gleaner continues to discredit the ministry and my work, as I have consistently articulated a vision for the agricultural sector since my return eight months ago. I take note of your prosaic description of me being "at sea" as regards the rapidly increasing food crisis, which ignores the many pronouncements I have made on that issue.

Indeed, from as early as February, speaking at the Hague Agricultural Show, I noted that over the last five years agricultural growth has been driven principally by the domestic food crop sector and that the potential for further expansion is through the revival of traditional crops, that is, sugar, banana, coffee, cocoa, etc.

Streamline food security

I noted that while much has been said in the last couple of years about it, "We need to do more to streamline food security in our policies and programmes. Food security cannot be a passing fad. In this regard, consistent with our manifesto commitment, we intend to promulgate a national food and nutrition security policy within the 2012-13 financial year."

The food and nutrition security policy will set targets regarding the utilisation of local foods in state run institutions, principally schools. The objective is twofold - to ensure children in our school feeding programme have access to the kind of nutrition that will promote their growth and development, and to create a ready market for our farmers.

We intend to substitute milk and fruit juice for the bag juice now served, as well as liquid eggs to substitute butter fat in bullas and nutri buns. It is to be noted that at the Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show recently, no lesser person than the prime minister announced that in October she would be launching the new food and nutrition policy which will also seek to reduce our food-import bill.

During my Budget presentation in May, I presented a comprehensive and overarching policy framework for the sector, including:

Import substitution.

Export focus.

Divestment of unprofitable state enterprises.

Efficient provision of public goods, such as extension, research, food health and safety infrastructure, irrigation and marketing.

Provision of the appropriate legal, regulatory and policy framework.

Promoting eight new industries to grow agriculture (onions, Irish potato, yams, honey, pineapple, hot pepper, turmeric and ginger).

Establishing eight agro parks.

We are fully cognisant that the potential of the agricultural sector will never be fully realised without our tourism sector consuming more of the food produced in the country. To that end, the tourism and agriculture ministries are now working with our hoteliers to put into effect specific programmes to increase consumption of local foods in our hotels, and we are encouraging the manufacturing sector to use more local agricultural raw material in their endeavours.

We are divesting and restructuring the sugar, cocoa and coffee industries, to increase value added, and expand our reach to new markets. A new thrust is also under way for the development of our ginger, turmeric and other exotic spices.

We recognise that we can only build agriculture on the basis of a partnership with other sectors. Investments and production activities must, therefore, involve our farmers, our processors, exporters and traders. To this end, the Government will make available agricultural lands to enterprising entrepreneurs who want to engage in agriculture through our agro parks.

DEVELOPING AGRO PARKS

Over the next two years, we will be spending some $750 million to develop eight agro parks. These agro parks will comprise subdivided - economic plots, leased to predominantly young farmers, and outfitted with critical infrastructure such as irrigation, post-harvest facility and tractors.

Production in these agro parks will be driven by clearly defined market demands. For instance, Red Stripe has announced it will be using locally produced cassava and sorghum as - substitutes for the barley currently used to brew beer. This cassava and sorghum will be grown in these agro parks on contract. It is these kinds of partnerships that will move agriculture forward.

I urge you to hold us accountable to the targets we have set and criticise us on the basis of fairness.

Roger Clarke is the Minister of Agriculture and Fisherie. Email feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com and denniequill@hotmail.com.