PRIME MINISTER Patrick Manning has announced plans to make the agricultural sector “hot, hot, hot” as his government makes the necessary interventions to boost the sector.

Speaking at the 40th Annual Convention of the ruling People’s National Movement (PNM), Manning said that food security was high on the government’s list of priorities.

The prime minister told party supporters that food security is the key objective in the new thrust towards a major increase in agricultural production.

Listing hot peppers as one of the crops that would see an increase in production, Manning couldn’t resist the chance to throw some picong at the Opposition United National Congress (UNC).

PM PATRICK MANNING
in his glee after his
address at the
recent PNM
Convention.

Accusing the UNC of ignoring the agricultural sector while in government, Manning promised that, with the increase in production of several crops, including hot peppers, the sector shall become “hot, hot, hot in this country, and shall burn the belly of those neemakharams”.

He also described the closure of Caroni (1975) Limited and the distribution of some of Caroni’s lands to former sugar employees for farming as a move that would “create an unprecedented level of food security for Trinidad and Tobago.

Manning explained that, unlike the UNC, whom he accused of “turning their backs on their supporters” it was his administration that took “tough decisions” to restructure the sugar industry, a move that led to the creation of over 7,000 new farms and over 18,000 acres made available to grow more food.

The new farmers would benefit even further under the government’s agricultural incentives programme for the purchase of machinery, irrigation equipment and water pumps.

Manning also announced that farmers would also be given incentives to “enter the more lucrative field of agro-processing for markets at home and abroad.

Recently, Agriculture Minister Jarette Narine also announced new projects aimed at boosting the sector, including the refurbishing of access roads and the installation of irrigation systems to allow for year round farming.

But farmers and others involved in the sector at various levels painted a darker picture.

President of the Agricultural Society Wendy Lee Yuen cited a $2 billion food import bill, a 34 per cent increase in the number of squatter farmers, and a higher budget allocation for URP and CEPEP as indictments on government’s policy towards the sector.

At a recent workshop, Lee Yuen also warned that the cavalier attitude to land development that prevails in Trinidad and Tobago would eventually result in food shortages and poverty.

Commenting on the fact that land for agricultural use has been declining steadily over the last two decades, and that the decline is now set to accelerate with the conversion of Caroni lands for industry and housing, Lee Yuen said: “When you take agricultural land to build huge industrial plants (and) housing, those lands are forever lost for food production.”

She also suggested that a country as small as Trinidad and Tobago needs to be extremely careful about changing land use, noting that there was a 50 per cent decline in private lands under agriculture in the last two decades.

Another high-profile voice calling on government to do more for agriculture is Vice-President-Asset Management at Unit Trust Corporation (UTC) Eutrice Carrington.

While addressing managers in the Credit Union Sector recently, Carrington described the agriculture as being “under-utilised” and was critical of the emphasis placed on the construction sector at the expense of others.

Carrington feels that the few programmes targeting young persons with the intention of getting them involved in agriculture isn’t enough to give the sector the boost needed to diversify the economy.

“Government needs to offer more support to mobilise the sector, (before it could realise its potential),” she said.

Carrington also suggested that agriculture could play a much bigger role in tackling youth unemployment, the need for economic diversification, and self-sufficiency in food.

These, she said, would also bring other intangible benefits such as healthier lifestyles, and a better diet, and less pressure on the health care system as less people line up to be treated for diseases related to poor lifestyles.

One farmer occupying State land in South Trinidad called on government to support farmers who “operate outside the system” and those who complete agricultural training courses with the same incentives extended to registered farmers, including land leases, monetary incentives, and technical assistance.

Existing registered farmers enjoy a several incentives from the Ministry of Agriculture, but there are no provisions for persons lacking land and capital to get involved in the sector.

Lee Yuen also pointed to the low numbers of persons entering the sector as a source of decline, noting that the average age of persons remaining in the sector is 50.

Despite the dismal picture painted by Lee Yuen, she also offered some hope: “Those who love farming will continue to provide food with little or no incentives.”

A former chairman of the National Agricultural Marketing Development Company (NAMDEVCO), Lee Yuen also noted that despite a lack of support there were substantial increases in the production of grains, root crops, cauliflower, and pumpkin.

Farmers are now hoping that government would keep their promises and give them the opportunity to further reduce food imports.