By KC Soares, ContributorIF THE economy is to move forward, the agricultural and tourism sectors will have to play pivotal roles.
It is in these two sectors that we have the resources to most effectively compete in global markets.
The activation of the Free Trade Area of the Americas and the termination of the Lome Convention means that in order to survive we must be able to meet and exceed world standards of productivity, quality and price.
The Lome Convention in its present form allows some products from Jamaica and other African, Caribbean and Pacific group of countries to enjoy preferential access to some international markets. In the year 2005, these preferences will begin to fade. For those who do not immediately recognise it, this is just two years away.
In the circumstances, we should be looking closely at our resources that can be converted into goods and services that can compete in global markets. In this regard are we really preparing ourselves to meet the upcoming challenges?
For us to progress we have to be honest with ourselves. We have to look at things as they are and not as they should be.
Consider for example this story, which I have already related. As a trained agriculturist, I was employed as a senior extension officer to the industry board that manages one of our main traditional crops. A planting programme for new acreages of the crop was implemented islandwide and I was asked to report on the progress of this venture.
After six weeks travelling the island and recording the new acreages of the crops being planted, even taking into account plots of less than one acre, I counted 1,009 new acreages.
I took this figure back to the board and was promptly told that it could not be forwarded to the Minister of Agriculture. Instead, a report was made by the Board that 10,000 new acres of the crop were planted under the programme.
How can Government officials make meaningful plans with erroneous data of the magnitude outlined? Where will all this put us? Can we with similar data plan to compete globally?
In another major industry, I have witnessed instances of varying degrees of unprofessionalism. Consider this for instance. In order to determine the fertiliser needs of the crop grown, leaf samples were randomly collected from different plots through the entire farm and analysed. I have seen those responsible for the collection of these random samples, strip two plants sitting side by side of all their leaves and use them to represent the entire 2,000 acres.
How can we progress with attitude of this nature? To what extent are we still being told what we would like to hear rather than what is the real situation?
For agriculture to move forward we have to be totally honest with ourselves and look at the present situation as it is and not as we would like it to be. To this end an honest assessment of all major crops and the livestock industry will have to be done as a prerequisite for the way forward.
This assessment must be done by an independent body totally removed from the operations of the crop/livestock sector being assessed as chances are the information provided by these bodies may not reflect the entire picture.
K.C. Soares is a former banker and is now a business consultant with Soledad Financial Services Limited. E-mail: soledad@netcomm-jm.com
