PearnelHon. Charles Jr.

Min. of Agriculture and Fisheries

My mandate, on behalf of the Government of Jamaica, is to spearhead the transformation towards a sustainable and resilient Agriculture and Fisheries sector. The sector is and will continue to be a key sector in the growth and development of Jamaica. In leading the charge for this growth, we will be focusing on five (5) priority areas. Research and development is key in driving the sector and this will be high on my agenda as Minister. It is my vision to have a Jamaica in which the Agriculture and Fisheries sector is more enticing to youth and women as a viable business, and to see the expansion of local production with little to no praedial larceny across the island. This is a critical area for the Government, as we build a foundation for sustained growth and the betterment of the lives of so many Jamaicans.

1. Increase Local Production.

As we work towards reducing our dependence on imports, we must now begin to start attracting more capital investment in the industry. This will be at the forefront of some of the immediate actions to be undertaken by the ministry. There is no coincidence that my experiences have all prepared me to champion this multifaceted sector. I intend to leverage all relationships to seek meaningful investment the sector requires to increase output. In fact, some of these conversations have already begun.

Additionally, we will integrate climate smart agricultural practices to ensure and improve access to technical resources to all farmers irrespective of size and scale.

2. Increase Research and Development

As in many other areas in farming and agriculture, one of the key areas we must bolster is research and development. Historically, Jamaica was once a significant contributor to the body of knowledge in agriculture and in particular, the level of research that went into cattle and dairy farming with the development of a new species. We need to and will work towards getting back to that level as more support will be given to research institutions dedicated to the issues facing our farmers.

For instance, I will be doing a deep dive into issues related to incorporating more pest resistant crops where possible. It has not gone unnoticed, that the beet armyworm continues to be a significant threat to the spice industry especially with the ripple effect felt in the agro-processing companies that contribute significantly to extended earnings among families islandwide.

You see, when you think about it from the perspective of Brand Jamaica and how the agriculture sector contributes to its definition of Jamaica’s taste profile, as chief policy maker, it is my prerogative to ensure I do all that can be done to protect this. So if the main purveyors of the spices that help to define this taste profile are being impacted, then it is also my priority to attend to the key issues affecting their livelihood. This leads me to my third priority area.

For too long, the Agriculture Sector has been most impacted by the difficulty in accessing loans from the finance sector. This has resulted in a slowing of growth, and a styming of opportunities for our farmers. It is therefore critical for me to place emphasis on this area, so that our farmers can continue to invest in food production. In acknowledging the inherent risks associated with the sector (especially vulnerabilities to national disasters), does this mean that we might need to encourage more contract-based farming or small farmers working in conjunction with mother-farms so that finance institutions can negotiate with the larger players in a way that the smaller players can benefit?

And how do we begin to finance the technology and farming techniques that are more resilient in our vulnerable environment with the argument being, that if these new techniques significantly reduce the risks associated with farming, then certainly capital should be made available to support this kind of investment. These are the kinds of conversations that need to happen and will happen under my tenure. So look out for more on this.

4. Introducing innovation and investment to address Praedial Larceny.

This area of focus is on the minds of every family who has an interest in the sector whether a backyard farmer or a large scale farmer. The thieves among us continue to plague the sector, removing billions of dollars of investment from the sector. Under my tenure I will be spearheading the The Praedial Larceny (Prevention) Act – The amendment of the Praedial Larceny (Prevention) Act will seek to strengthen enforcement measures in an effort to curtail the scourge and high incidences of the crime of praedial larceny and other related offences that impact the lives of our farming stakeholders.

With this in mind, I urge all farmers, especially those with commercial interests, to use this period to get registered with their nearest RADA office, as the ability to be identified as the legitimate owner or agricultural produce will be critical to the implementation of the act once it comes on stream.

Gone are the days when agriculture was thought to be an old person’s profession. In fact, more and more young people are actively choosing this path for their livelihood. This is commendable. I would however like to encourage more diversified opportunities within the sector. So, for the young tech enthusiasts, I would love to see solutions and ideas being proposed to tackle some of the issues being faced by the sector. At the Ministry, this is the kind of forward thinking effort that we are more than ready to endorse as it will only augur well for the country in the long run. I will be exploring this in a lot more detail as we seek to deepen the involvement of youth in agriculture and position Jamaica as an innovator on the global stage.

The same goes for women in the sector, as many have found it lucrative to earn and care for their families. The poultry sector in particular is a clear indication of this, where the majority of its farmers are women. Despite this, there is still room for more participation. I want to encourage those of us who have family lands that are currently idle, to put it to use. I also recognize that with more new farmers entering the sector, there is and will be an increased need for knowledge based support. It is for this reason that I can announce that I intend to partner with and support the efforts of Budding Farmers and similar social enterprise organizations, geared at introducing farming concepts and providing the information support to our new farmers across the island.

In closing, I also want to use this opportunity to laud the effort of every farmer across Jamaica, and every person who works to support the interest of the sector. I want to assure you that we are in this together. I am grateful to serve on a strong team with our Prime Minister, Most Hon. Andrew Holness, leading the charge to develop the ‘New Jamaica’. I am committed to working hard, thinking smart and staying focused on achieving results with you that will benefit Jamaica.

Yours

in Service

Pearnel

M.P.