Alternative sustainable livelihood in Agriculture

Our agricultural sector must become a matter of first importance for all Vincentians. Nothing less will suffice. If the agricultural sector and its importance to the issue of food security are not treated by our citizens as matters of the highest order; and particularly so within the context of a global downturn in the international economy, it is surely time for us to refocus. Food is simply essential to life.{{more}}

The new thrust to establish a framework to execute a well planned, structured and conceived Alternative Sustainable Livelihood Project falls within the ambits of the Ministry of Agriculture, which is one of our prime productive sectors. However, our quest to create new avenues for wealth creation must not be seen solely as an issue only for the Ministry of Agriculture. Hence, the approach will cut across sectors to involve particularly construction and light manufacturing.

The Minister of Agriculture Hon. Montgomery Daniel emphasises the importance of the need for value addition within the agriculture sector and the great possibilities which now exist in the fishing sector as a result of the strategic capital intervention by the government. The government of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries, is setting up this project at a time when many persons are showing a keen interest in entering into legitimate farming. Hence, the project will focus heavily on increasing poultry, pig and rabbit production; and exploring the opportunity of farming utilising greenhouse technology for the production of vegetables and the propagation of seedlings on a commercial basis.

It is also important that the recipients make full use of the opportunity to obtain specialised training which will form an important component of the project, since in today’s competitive business environment we must maximise our use of the available technology.

For several years, I have analysed the importance of agriculture as a key productive sector in a small island developing state. Any true analysis cannot escape the historical fact that the birth of commercial agriculture in the region has been a major factor in the colonisation of our Caribbean people. It all began by the establishment of a plantation style organization of both land and labour. Interestingly, both the systems of the organisation of labour – slavery and land use – for tobacco then sugar cane production were imposed upon the region. The resultant implication is that for the most part freedmen have seen that an exit out of primary agriculture into the service sector is actually a means out of poverty.

With emancipation in 1834, freedmen established plots for themselves rather than work on the plantation, and considerably for the past last one hundred and seventy years, there has been a shift in our agronomics away from the plantation type form of agriculture to the growth of small scale commercial farming and in many instances peasant farming. These are the two predominant farming systems practiced in many rural communities in St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

With a mindset which sees optimal success residing outside of agriculture, the sector has suffered considerably from an ageing workforce. This notion must change! Our soils are extremely fertile, but our geography does not lend itself readily to the use of mechanisation for productivity on economies of scales in many circumstances. The issue has been further compounded by the reduction in family labour traditional practices; low yields per acre for an array of reasons; increase in the cost of fertilizer on the international market; lack of sustained accessibility to markets locally, regionally and extra regionally; rapid deterioration of feeder roads owing to undulating relief and rugged terrain; storage problems in light of the fact that farmers produce perishable products; and the continued problem of the theft of farm animals and produce. The greater the challenges, it is simply the harder we must work. We must be focussed like never before and become active participants in our quest to revolutionise the agriculture sector.

The mission statement of the Ministry of Agriculture is clear. The objective is to actively create the enabling environment for the entrepreneurial drive for farmers, fisher folk and other related groups to strive to increase agro-food production, processing, marketing, thus increasing employment, rural income, food security and foreign exchange earnings, while ensuring the efficient utilisation and sustainability of the nation’s natural resources.

The alternative sustainable livelihood project will definitely create a series of options within the agriculture sector as the government continues to build wealth sustainably. The ultimate objective which will be achieved from this project is the creation of incentive driven alternatives within the agricultural sector for persons wishing to become economically active by obtaining gainful and sustained employment.

Saboto Caesar is a Lawyer and Unity Labour Party Senator, now serving as Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture etc.