The Tribune

By LYNAIRE MUNNINGS

Tribune Staff Reporter

lmunnings@tribunemedia.net

AGRICULTURE, Marine Resources and Family Affairs Minister Clay Sweeting said yesterday that the Davis administration is committed to advancing the agricultural industry.

The South and Central Eleuthera MP revealed that in an effort to ensure that the industry is sustainable, a select committee of farmers and industry partners will be engaged in developing a strategic plan that will create a roadmap in achieving food security.

“In business, the first and most important economic driver is the bottom line,” Mr Sweeting said in Parliament yesterday.

“All around the world, governments heavily subsidise the farming industry. In this area, we must invest in the technology and improve this critical function if we expect any farmer to provide poultry and meat to the capacity to sustain us.”

Additionally, Mr Sweeting said the Department of Agriculture has imported 260 small ruminants to augment flocks of sheep and goats to breed and in return increase the population of livestock throughout the country.

“These animals will also be the beneficiaries of the investment in the new feed mill as a variety of feed can and will be produced for all animals reared. Additionally, we have invested in the repair and addition of the swine breeding centre and the abattoir.”

The South and Central Eleuthera MP insisted that his ministry continues to provide land preparation service, which is offered to the farming community for a “nominal fee”. According to Mr Sweeting, the government intends to extend the assistance of land preparation to farmers to three additional Family Islands, at an estimated cost of $1m.

“This will increase the use of machinery and technology in farming with the objective of increasing productivity while reducing the cost of production for farmers,” Mr Sweeting said.

This initiative includes the purchase of the necessary equipment, he said.

He continued: “We are happy to announce that these pieces of equipment have arrived and are being prepared for delivery to the designated Family Islands. We expect the use of the machinery and innovations will be transformative in both crop and livestock production in the Family Islands. “

Mr Sweeting said the country is challenged with providing processed food “of our own”, saying that the state of the food technology laboratory is unequipped to meet modern standards.

“Madam Speaker, one of the challenges we face in this country is providing processed foods of our own,” he said.

“We have the capacity to grow a variety of fruit, vegetables, roots and tubers that can be processed into foods such as jams, jellies, chips, flour and juices.

“However, the state of the food technology laboratory does not foster a proper environment to meet modern standards. There is a shortage of space for processing, staff and training.”

He, however, noted that his ministry, along with the Ministry of Works, are in communication for the expansion of labs.