Prime Minister Pleased at Increased Farm Activities

March 31, 2009

PRIME MINISTER PLEASED BY INCREASED FARM ACTIVITY

Prime Minister Bruce Golding told agricultural researchers and farmers that he is heartened by the visible increase in farming activity throughout the country.

"There is a new surge of activity. I am pleased to see the number of greenhouses that are going up. Even the traditional planting out of vegetables...I know that your (harvest) figures are beginning to reflect that".

The Prime Minister was speaking at the signing of letters of intent for the Centre of Excellence for Advanced Technology in Agriculture at the Bodles Research Station on March 27. The Centre is being funded by the Spanish Agency for International Development and Co-operation (AECID) through the CARICOM/Spain Co-operation Agreement. The programmes of the Centre will be executed through the University of Technology (UTech), University of the West Indies (UWI), Northern Caribbean University (NCU) and the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE).

Thanking the leaders in agriculture for their work, Prime Minister Golding urged them to return to the days when Jamaica was a pioneer in animal genetics, and also research to combat banana and citrus diseases.

The Prime Minister noted that although agriculture employed 18% of labour it only contributed 6% to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP). He identified six targets for the industry: improve linkages with markets; realign development bank credit facilities to support technology-based research; shorten the food supply chain so that the farm gate price and supermarket price differentials are lowered; integrate the sector with other productive areas - such as tourism and food processing - increase intensive agricultural practices and emphasise training of agricultural practitioners.

"I want to urge you to do more....I see a Jamaica with a different kind of agriculture, a new, exciting, enlightened visionary concept of agriculture and what agriculture can do in terms of its contribution and importantly in offering persons a viable option in terms of their careers and the investment of their lives and the creation of wealth", Mr. Golding said.

In his remarks, Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Christopher Tufton, explained that the Centre would be headquartered within the Bodles Research Station and will be an important research facility for defining and sharing data and technologies across borders. He also said that is where research will be transferred into effective practical training modules for farmers and other professionals in the industry.

Ambassador of Spain Jesus Silva Fernandez said that the project was a part of Spain's wider involvement in the Caribbean region.

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