Agriculture minister Dr Christopher Tufton says the sector must refocus its efforts to meet the challenges of market liberalisation.

In addressing the farmers present at the launch of the National Farmer Registration Programme in Mandeville on Wednesday, Dr Tufton explained that the purpose of the registration exercise was to facilitate planning and marketing.

"It is not about taxation," he stressed.

Comprehensive database

In an effort to assist the farmers of Jamaica to compete within the context of the CARICOM Single Market and Economy, as a first step, he said, it was critical to compile a comprehensive database of all farmers, including the crops being produced, the number and types of the animals reared, as well as the size of their holdings.

This information, he pointed out, would not only be used as the basis to plan for the development of the sector, but also to fast-track relief assistance following a disaster.

Estimated time/cost

The registration process, which seeks to log some 50,000-80,000 farmers will be driven by the Electoral Office of Jamaica through its network of registration centres in each parish, and the cadre of Rural Agricultural Development Authority's extension officers islandwide in collaboration with the Jamaica Agricultural Society.

The minister also said the registration was expected to be completed within the next 15 months and was estimated to cost approximately $15 million.