Yesterday marked the start of Farmers' Month 2001. But it will not find farmers in a jovial mood. With the cuts in the Ministry of Agriculture's budget tabled in the House by Finance Minister Dr. Omar Davies on Thursday, the farming community and primarily small farmers will be singing the blues.
"This is not good news going into Farmers Month," said Robert Reid, CEO of the Jamaica Agricultural Society.
The Ministry's budget for capital projects was cut from $250 million last year to $100 million this year. The research and development budget, to develop cost-effective domestic food production and output was reduced from $58.5 million to $37.9 million. There was a cut in the livestock research and evaluation budget by $7 million. In the area of extension services, there was a reduction from $19 million to $5 million.
"An area like extension services has been in critical need of attention. It will be adversely affected now. I suppose the permanent secretary will have to re-rationalise his priorities swiftly," said Mr. Reid.
He suggested that the agricultural sector would have to find ways of generating income in order to keep certain projects afloat. "Even those projects which are financed by foreign agencies, the government is expected to play a role. Something will have to be done," he said.
He's advocating the charge of a cess on imported products which compete directly with local commodities. "This money will then go into a fund which will be used to assist the sector."
Among the activities planned for Farmers' Month are four regional meetings across the island to discuss issues of concern to the farming community.
The topics slated for discussion are the praedial larceny control programme, centralised marketing system, tillage services and youth and community development. There will be a meeting tomorrow afternoon of members of the JAS executive and officials of the Ministry of Agriculture to fine tune the month's activities.
