From left, Douglas Nelson, (left), information and communication technology manager at the Rural Agricultural Development Authority, Dr. William Seiders, senior officer at the Food and Agriculture Organisation, Federico Sancho, information and communication co-ordinator at the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA) and Ignatius Jean, St. Lucia's minister of agriculture, forestry and fisheries. They were speaking at a regional agricultural conference in Gros Islet, St. Lucia on November 29.
Damion Mitchell, Staff Reporter
AT A regional agriculture conference in Gros Islet, St. Lucia, just over a week ago, more than 40 representatives from nine Caribbean countries sought to identify information strategies for the repositioning of the sector.
For two days, the stakeholders related the existing challenges hindering the further progress of their respective agricultural industries, but importantly they agreed on strategies for advancing agriculture in the region.
It is no secret that agriculture is the backbone of Caribbean countries given its considerable contributions to Gross Domestic Product (GDP). For example, in St. Lucia it represents some 13 per cent of GDP, while in Jamaica it represents 12 per cent. But, as highlighted at the conference, the sector is still being taken for granted with many persons including a few agricultural 'experts' relegating it to a "field for the dunces" as Dillon Husbands, research manager at the University of Guyana puts it.
"Agriculture is not farming!" she declared, adding that the sector provided job opportunities in several other fields such as research, administration and information technology.
Miss Husbands recalled attending an interview for an agriculturally-related job, where a member of the panel suggested that her attire should have depicted that of a farmer.
This sets out clearly the perception of the sector, as is manifested in many other territories.
Only recently, agricultural institutions in Jamaica noted that there have been dwindling numbers of persons pursuing courses at these institutions.
The question then is how to reposition the sector in this information age especially when so many youth seem to have lost interest.
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGIES
Dr. William Seiders, senior officer at the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) suggested that information and communication technologies (ICTs) would be useful in re-igniting among regional citizens, the fire for agricultural careers. He said that with the rural to urban drift and the male to female digital divide, women and young people living in rural areas were at severe disadvantages.
"The FAO believes that youth in the Caribbean if given adequate information, knowledge, skills and resources can become active partners in agriculture and rural development," Mr. Seiders said.
Earlier, Miss Husbands had pointed out necessary conditions to attract youth to the sector:
There must be equal opportunities for wealth creation; Access to knowledge, information technology and skills;Training for improved social empowerment; Support for youth ministries and structures.By no means are these suggestions new, neither are they unrealistic but there is doubt whether there is the will on the part of our regional political leaders to institute such conditions.
If one should judge from the budgetary allocations to the agriculture ministry at least in Jamaica, the prospects for its complete development are obviously restricted.
For the 2003/04 financial year, of the $328 billion budget, just under $1.7 billion was allocated to agriculture, despite its contributions of some $14 billion in 2002/03. And for the 2004/2005 financial year, supplementary estimates suggest that an increase may not exceed $200 million despite the sector being severely battered by Hurricane Ivan.
In other parts of the region, such as Trinidad and Tobago, there are screams for help in the development of rural agriculture. Petra Gomez, secretary of the Network of Rural Women Producers in the twin-island republic, said many rural villagers were starved of basic information and communication technologies and agricultural extension officers were hardly seen.
She explained that these deficiencies had retarded the sector, as there was hardly any modernisation in the way farming activities were carried out. It must be noted that Jamaica with the creation of the Agricultural Business Information System (ABIS) a farmer registration programme appears to be way ahead of the other countries attending the conference since the ABIS not only registers farmers but also provides information as to the amount and types of crops under production.
But still the nation's progress has been limited by the lack of adequate agricultural extension officers to offer guidance to farmers in need of their assistance. This shortage was further evidenced during the recent agricultural survey following the passage of Hurricane Ivan. The survey was completed several weeks after the stated deadline, although additional assistance was provided through the Electoral Office of Jamaica.
GREATER COLLABORATION
For several years now there has been the call for Jamaica and the rest of the Caribbean to move swiftly to make their agriculture sectors more responsive to increased competition.
In fact, only last Thursday, leaders of regional agricultural organisations established the Caribbean Farmers and Agricultural Non-Governmental Organisation Network (CaFANN) to outline proposals relevant to the agricultural sector in preparation of the Caribbean Single Market and Economy (CSME) scheduled to come into effect in January 2005.
Effectively, the CSME will provide for the free movement of goods and services within the Caribbean. Norman Grant, president of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, heads CaFANN, which comprises Jamaica, Barbados, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, and Trinidad and Tobago.
The Network is aimed at enhancing the well-being and competitiveness of Caribbean farmers associations and agricultural non-governmental organisations with focus on the rural sector to contribute to the re-positioning of Caribbean economies.
It is also prioritising increasing awareness and influencing decisions on strategic issues affecting regional agriculture through lobbying and collaborating with governments.
This highlights the point raised earlier that while many a persons are poised for the advancement of agriculture, it is the political will on the part of regional leaders that will determine whether the dreams of the sector are materialised.
Barbados' Julien Beckles led the charge at the St. Lucia conference for the media to demonstrate more interest in providing information that will promote the sector. "The only time that the media report something good is if a farmer reaps a really big produce," he said.
MEDIA RESPONSIBILITY
Undoubtedly, the media have a responsibility in the development of any country. And while its power cannot be over emphasised, Dale Enoch, a vice-president of a Trinidadian radio station maintained that the core of media operations was profitability. He said where other sectors attract more interest, media managers will not devote more resources to agriculture.
So how do we reposition the sector under the current conditions? Thankfully, organisations such as the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA) and the Technical Centre for the Co-operation on Rural Agriculture have invested heavily in projects that offer direct benefits to agricultural practitioners.
It is these opportunities which we should maximise to get the message to the political directorates that they can turn up the throttle with greater funding.
It is readily apparent that information and communication technology enhance businesses and if the agricultural sector is not prioritised and treated accordingly its position certainly will not be conducive to development when real competition rolls in.
