VOX POP

What are some of the things that can be done now to spur agricultural growth in Manchester?

Alvin Murray, general manager of the Christiana Potato Growers Cooperative

The point I'm making is that if we harvest rainwater we wouldn't have to be fighting hurricane in May, June, July to September because our best crop would be planted from November, December, January, February and March, when there is no hurricane.

Ivan Green, chairman of the Christiana Potato Growers Cooperative

As a cooperative, we have survived for the past 50 years and our immediate needs to continue providing the service we have been providing are institutional strengthening and development capital.

Samuel Miller, Manchester Parish Development Committee

Someone mentioned earlier that RADA (the Rural Agricultural Development Authority) needs to be properly funded so that the extension officers can get to the farmers. That is my dream. We need to get the information, education process going to all the farmers, all the way through the line, so they can take advantage.

Donald Robinson, RADA

Irrigation systems. And we need to find ways and means to strengthen our farm groups, which include the JAS (Jamaica Agricultural Society) groups.

Keith Smith, Manchester Chamber of Commerce

I think the Ministry of Agriculture and/or the Government ought to look at promoting and tacking on or expanding the name of the Ministry of Agriculture to Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development. I think that is critical that we appreciate that agriculture is an essential part of rural development and rural development is an essential part of national development.

Albert Fearon, CARDI

In terms of agricultural research, the business that CARDI (Caribbean Agriculture Research and Development Institute) is in, I think it is underfunded. So you are looking for more resources to do the research, that when we get there, we actually get there. And the second thing, in Jamaica we tend to do a little bit of samples. We need to move away from the sampling and get together in group dynamics and do it as a whole.

Vincent Thompson, JSIF REDI Project

I would like to see more private-sector involvement in the business of marketing agricultural produce. And two, I would love the minister, the Cabinet itself, to cease utilising prime alluvial soils in this country for housing.

Hugh Lambert, Jamaica Bauxite Institute

What I would like to see first and foremost is the incorporating of technology and science as the main plank on which agriculture ought to grow. Expanding the experience of the Christiana Potato Growers Cooperative or replicating this idea in other areas. Getting every self-respecting primary, junior high and high school to have even small tissue-culture units. Science and technology has to be incorporated in agriculture from a very early age.