VP Jagdeo advices that in driving region’s food system state leaders are essential

For the Caribbean Community (CARICOM) to see a 25 percent reduction in its food import bill by 2025, massive investments must be made by state leaders according to Vice President, Dr. Bharrat Jagdeo.  Dr. Jagdeo pointed out that the political strength of regional leaders is essential in cutting through the challenges currently being encountered, to achieve a massive food system.

“We can’t leave here without that commitment, this process has to be driven right up from the top,” he said. The Vice President was at the time speaking on Friday, on key binding constraints of the agriculturesector, during day two of the Agri-Investment Forum and Expo, at the Arthur Chung Conference Centre (ACCC).  He explained that the region currently expends some $6B to import food annually. The VP said that for the sum to decrease by 25 percent by 2025, it means that outputs have to increase by more than 1.5B in three and a half years.

“This means that we have to have a champion in each country for these measures. And it means intervention from the Presidents or the Office of the Prime Minister for each region. This cannot be driven simply by a Minister of Agriculture,” Dr. Jagdeo stressed. He continued, “Because there are so many cross-cutting issues that need to be addressed that cannot be addressed by the agricultural ministries alone. And they would need heavy political intervention on the part of the heads of government.”  VP Jagdeo declared that10 major constraints were identified in 2005 that affected development in the region’s agriculture sector and food security.

The constraints, he said include, among other things, limited financing and inadequate new investments, outdated and inefficient agriculture, health and food safety systems, inadequate research and development, fragmented and unorganised private sector and inefficient land and water distribution and management systems. The former President noted that while CARICOM has made some progress in addressing some of those limitations, it is far from addressing them in a structured manner, and if they are not rectified soonest, then there will not be an ideal framework for the growth of food security in the region.

VP Jagdeo noted that in order to significantly advance the food system, public and private investments are integral. “You need investments in roads, research, drainage and irrigation systems etc. If you look at the share of the budget for dedicated to agriculture in many countries, they have a very small and been dwindling. If you look at the loan profiles where we sought to borrow abroad, very few requests would actually go into the financial institutions for the agricultural sector, for all sorts of things we borrow but very little for agriculture,” he detailed.

Dr. Jagdeo said just like the increase share of the budget to the food security sector, there must be a commitment or package of fiscal concessions that are comparable with what other sectors in the countries enjoy. “And the only way that can happen, is only if the issues are treated as a priority,” he said. The Vice President said in some instances, the country leader has to go on the ground and engage farmers if they want to see major success.

Dr. Jagdeo added that this is something the government has been doing since its assumption to office, meeting with farmers and other residents on key issues and soliciting their input in decision making.