John Myers Jr., Agriculture Coordinator

Left: Jasmin Holness, deputy director of research, in the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands.   Right: Balteano Duffus, general secretary, Beef and Dairy Producers Association of Jamaica.

Left: Dr. Paul Jennings, CEO of the Jamaica Dairy Development Board.   Right: Donovan Stanberry, permanent secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands. - photos by Andrew Smith/Photography Editor

The Ministry of Agricul-ture and Lands has received a grant of more than US$50,000 from the Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) towards the development of a new agricultural policy.

Donovan Stanberry, permanent secretary in the Agriculture and Lands Ministry, revealed at a Gleaner Editors' Forum on the agricultural sector Wednesday, that the FAO had confirmed its commitment to provide about US$54,000 ($3.5 million) to assist in funding the formulation of the policy.

He said the new policy would place more emphasis on increasing efficiency and productivity and attracting more youths to the sector. It would also see the Government playing a greater role as a facilitator in the development of the agricultural sector.

Need for more funds

However, he noted that the ministry was still in need of another US$150,000 to satisfy the funding requirements for the new policy for which consultations with industry stakeholders were currently taking place. He said the ministry was expecting to source the additional funds from the European Union's (EU) Rural Diversification Programme.

"What is going to be important in that regard is to clearly define roles and responsibilities - what is the Government's role in the revitalisation of the sector and what is the industry player's role," Mr. Stanberry explained.

The permanent secretary's revelations came after stakeholders in the livestock industry complained at the forum that the lack of an adequate agricultural policy was contributing to the demise of the sector.

Jasmin Holness, deputy director of research in the Ministry of Agriculture and Lands, lamented that "currently we are operating under an industrial policy, which if we were to review it, gives us about three or four lines on agriculture. So in effect we have no policy on agriculture.

Agri policy

"Our agricultural development goes according to whatever wind is blowing as I see it. I think the first issue that we need to address is to define an agricultural policy for development," she added.

Balteano Duffus, general secretary of the Beef and Dairy Producers Association of Jamaica (BADPAJ), contended that the policymakers failed to appreciate the importance of the agricultural sector and the beef and dairy sub-sectors in particular, hence the lack of support.

Dr. Paul Jennings, chief executive officer of the Jamaica Dairy Development Board, pointed out that in most countries where the agricultural sector is vibrant, the government had been the main facilitator.

But Mr. Stanberry emphasised that formulating "the policy is not difficult (as) the sector has bright people with the answer. What we frankly need to do is to do less talking, articulate our vision and move on."

The new policy should be completed by the end of the financial year.