THE EDITOR, Sir:

For too long, Jamaica has been a non-productive country depending on the efforts of other countries. Over these years, since Jamaica became independent in 1962, there has been a high level of imports and very little exports. The Ministry of Agriculture should be spear-heading a specific programme in the training of self-reliant farming. We would do well at this point in our history to grow, for instance, more peppers, tomatoes, water melons and other cash crops in our backyards.

Mr Editor, the Ministry of Agriculture through the Rural Agriculture Development Authority (RADA) should be coordinating this effort of economic sustainability to another level by providing training and seedlings in various crops (mangoes, oranges, pines, etc.) to our farmers. This form of self-reliance must be practised in the wider communities islandwide. At the same time, the Ministry of Agriculture, through RADA, could also find needed markets to sell the farmers' produce and possibly through agro-processing, extract the pulp to sell to manufacturers.

The relevant government authority needs to do much more research and investment in the area of self-reliance, which many other countries are now embarking on. In time, Jamaica and Jamaicans can become self-sufficient and self-reliant as a developing country.

I am, etc.,

VALENTINE PEARSON

valenempearson@yahoo.com

Montego Bay