In the face of criticisms of sloth in agriculture issues, Caricom Heads of Govern-ment have renewed their commitment to pursue a strategic approach to transform the sector into an internationally competitive one even as they reiterate that its development is inhibited by key binding constraints.
This is four years after the launch of the Jagdeo Initiative, which was designed to advance the regional transformation of agriculture, ensure the region is food-secure and make the sector competitive. Officials have said that regional harmonisation of policies is one of the key issues hampering the progress of the Initiative.
In the Communiqué issued after they wrapped up their Heads of Government Conference here last Saturday, the Caricom Heads committed to the provision of the necessary financial and other resources to ensure internationally competitive, market-led production, and the identification and effective employment of the appropriate policies and strategies which will bring about the desired improvements , including in the agri-business sector. They called on development partners to assist in the efforts.
The HoGs acknowledged that the agriculture sector has faced overwhelming challenges in recent years and recognised that its further development, as elaborated in the Jagdeo Initiative, including in particular, production and productivity, competitiveness and exports, is inhibited by key binding constraints including a reduction in development support and investment. They noted that financing for agriculture development is proving to be the major limitation which is affecting the speed and effectiveness of dealing with the other constraints.
Several constraints to the development of agriculture have been previously identified and these are: Limited financing and inadequate levels of new investments; Deficient and uncoordinated risk management measures; Inadequate research and development; Outdated and inefficient agricultural health and food safety (AHFS) systems; Weak land and water distribution and management systems; Inadequate transportation systems, particularly for perishables; Weak and non-integrated market information and intelligence systems and Weak linkages and participation of producers in growth market segments; and Lack of skilled and quality human resources. It has been said that there is slow progress in tackling some of these initiatives while others are lagging.
The heads said that in order for agriculture to continue to play a positive role in the region’s economic and social development, there is need for a more concerted effort among all stakeholders in addressing the challenges facing the sector. Public/private sector partnership is essential, they said. “We are also aware that governments must increase budgetary resources and implement other policy incentives to buttress the agriculture/agro-industry development agenda. It is also vital that the multilateral trading system take account of the special needs of small vulnerable economies in their quest to build and preserve their agricultural sectors”.
They recommitted to pursuing a strategic approach to transform the agriculture sector into an internationally competitive one with increased capacity to contribute to the sustained economic development of the region, the economic livelihood of entrepreneurs, the rural sector and to food and nutrition security. They further recognized the importance of effective agriculture health and food safety systems and sanitary and phytosanitary measures to food and nutrition security.
In the Communiqué, the heads also recognized the challenge posed to small famers by the lack of adequate equipment and committed to providing farmers with adequate mechanisms to manage risks and market crises, and to establish early warning systems to anticipate disasters such as floods and hurricanes. They further committed to strive against unfair competition and agricultural trade distortions, providing farmers with new opportunities to sell their products on world markets and support their efforts to increase productivity and production.
Priority regional actions in agriculture, the heads agreed, will focus on: Elaboration of the Com-munity Agricultural Policy and Regional Strategic Plan; upgrading of facilities and services for trade in agriculture products; strengthening national and regional (collaboration in agriculture) research and development; establishing an effective regime of sanitary and phyto-sanitary measures including a Caricom Agriculture Health and Food Safety System (CAHFSA); developing appropriate policies and incentives to encourage a stronger agriculture private sector; development and implementation of a regional agriculture market information and intelligence system; addressing the inadequacy of transportation to better enable the export of agriculture products; maintenance of a reliable information platform to facilitate monitoring and evaluation and to indicate priority areas for urgent action; ensuring competitiveness in the agriculture sector; ensuring that adequate land is retained for agricultural production; and encouraging the youth to become more engaged in the sector.
In other areas, the heads affirmed that the production of energy and biofuels from biomass must be increased in a sustainable manner so as to provide for energy, economic, environmental and agricultural needs, but must not compromise food security. They noted the critical role of the fisheries sector to the livelihood and well-being of the coastal communities and its value to the food security needs of the people while recognizing the economic benefits that can be realized from the sector.
They also recognized that balanced development of rural areas and communities will ensure the retention of skills required to produce agri-products competitively and sustainably manage the natural diversity, thus ensuring the equitable distribution of income within the rural areas and between the rural and urban areas.
They noted that greater emphasis must be placed on the more vulnerable rural groups such as indigenous and other tribal peoples, youth and women to bring them into the economic mainstream. They further recognised the need for a more coordinated framework in developing and implementing appropriate policies, programmes and incentives in support of the sector’s development agenda.
