Minister in the Ministry of Finance, Ryan Straughn, has underscored the importance of the agricultural sector, saying it is necessary that Barbados achieves a greater level of food security.
Straughn made the comments on Friday after touring Agrofest 2019 at Queen’s Park with a number of primary school children from Christ Church Girls’, Milton Lynch and St Bartholomew.
He said it was important to expose children to the many opportunities that currently exist in the agricultural sector, adding that Government was seeking to expose children to entrepreneurship in that industry, suggesting that it could lead to greater food security for Barbados.
Minister Straughn stated: “What was on show at Agrofest was very impressive, and so it is left now up to the Ministry of Agriculture to work with the Ministry of Education to make sure that all of the various technologies that are available for boosting food production in the country, and that can also lead to greater agro processing, are in place.”
“I know that there is more that the Government of Barbados should be able to do across the many communities and I know the Ministry of Agriculture has an exciting framework and plan in order to help young people see that there is opportunity within agriculture, not just from a food crop prospective.”
Minister Straughn pointed out that the rearing of black belly sheep was one of the critical areas that was unique to Barbados. He expressed the wish that as students interacted with the animals at Agrofest that it would raise the level of animal husbandry awareness in the country, allowing for greater opportunities going forward.
He stressed that the Ministry of Finance was very supportive of the Ministry of Agriculture’s efforts. (BGIS)
All talk, nothing but hot air.
This BLP Administration has withdrawn sponsorship of the exhibition, but yet this joker claims government supports agricultural development.
When will the double talk end.
Will the Minister of Agriculture attend Agrofest, hiding out with school children from his constituency. This government has abandon an exhibition of national importance to this country at a time when it is putting scores of young people on the breadline. Agrofest is an opportunity for all people who are in agricultural related business to exposed their products to Barbados, so that Barbados and the world knows what services Barbados have to offer. This Minister with one side of his mouth is saying we will help and with the other side of his mouth withdraws key government sponsorship for Agrofest, damming the efforts of Barbadians to showcase their business endevours. However this same government will leave no stone unwashed when they spend the taxpayers money on a visit of the royals of England, who’s visit will have no impact on those who have no income or those who would love to get an income by advertising at the Agrofest exihibtion.
Kudos to the comments of Johnny and Cecil. How long have we heard that agriculture is critical to the economic development of this country, and yet the sector is sorely neglected. Enough of the talk and let’s see some action.
For several years now we have seen the decline in sugar cane production, and with the producers not getting paid for what they have produced, I think that industry is all but dead.
Again I will shout from the house top that we need to develop our native Black belly sheep industry. There is sooo much untapped potential vis-a-vis meat export, sperm export and skin processed into leather. It doesn’t take much sq footage to raise sheep intensively.
I believe that this idea has been raised already, but we also need to strongly encourage the hotels, using a carrot/stick approach, to accept a certain percentage of local produce for their use.
We are squandering a precious resource in our agricultural capacity. With the advance in agricultural technology, we don’t need as much acreage as previous to resurrect this vital industry.
Enuf of the talk; action please.
We got enough black belly sheep in BIMSHIRE, bleating, bleating/bleeding daily. Stop the talk and start the walk. Do u people even care?? forget the DLP and what they did or did not do.
@Cecil – Nice rounded one, (on the “white royals”) it all has to do with a very old boot licking mentality. Then these people expect our wise, alert young people to look up to them for guidance.
James Paul: “The problem for the last years is that we have not been able to get sponsorship for the event to the extent that we would like.”
This is what this joker and perennial complainer said in a previous article. It is probably with good reason that some sponsors have withdrawn and others have not given a dime to James Paul. He voted for, defended and justified the hardships imposed by his DLP administration on the same would-be sponsors, and has the gall to go cap-in-hand begging for sponsorship. Paul has no shame, whatsoever!
When the CEO of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS) could warm the backbench in the previous DLP administration for 10 years and failed to make an impact in reducing the food import bill, he deserves zero sponsorship. Up to this day, the war between Paul and disgraced former minister Donville Inniss over the importation of chicken wings and eggs has not abated.
There is no visible evidence that agriculture advanced in Barbados over those years under Paul and then agriculture minister Dr. David Estwick. There is no coordination of production among farmers, so the country still goes through the glut-shortage cycle for in-demand local foods. One really has to ask, what purpose other than hosting an annual exhibition does the BAS really serve?
As a matter of fact, while Paul complains through one side of his mouth about the importation of fruit, vegetables and meats, from the other side he gets on the phone or heads down Cheapside begging a well-known supplier for an abundance of imported produce for his personal consumption, and monies to finance his re-election campaigns.
Discerning entities will not continue to reward failure and unaccountability of their funds.
@Carl Harper: The well known Fruit and Vegetable importer on Cheapside has been at the forefront of political manipulation for decades. He was the linchpin between a former PM, and a high ranking D L P economist crossing the party lines.
So that importer has been a financier to both the B L P and
D L P. In fact many retailers, food importers are members, financiers and supporters of these two parties and are influential in the facilitated stagnation of the agricultural sector in Barbados. You Carl Harper is becoming a total waste of time in the blog, with your constant referral to the last ten years. The redefining moment for the B L P to make a positive difference in the lives of Barbadians is now, and they’re failing miserably.
Agrofest is indeed critical to the agriculture sector, and is not about James Paul, the B L P or the politically motivated sponsors or government operatives who have withdrawn their support. The fact that this government could organize their PR stunted ‘vision 2020’ launch the same time as Agrofest tells Barbadian what this government thinks of agriculture. The fact that the government has also reduced the resources to that ministry significantly tells me how much value they place on this sector.
So it’s time this government, you. and the other operatives stop the bellyaching, stop trying to fool Barbadians with your spin, because we know that all is not well with all the borrowing, loan defaults, the outstanding renegotiation of the foreign debt, and the lack of new investment, or any plan to reduce foreign exchange spending through the expansion of critical sectors.
Time is already up, we can see clearly that the only means of pleasuring the I M F is through retrenchments, and transfer reductions to reduce government expenditure. With the increase of taxes, and other service charges the only means of raising additional revenue.
Be warned though, your gamble has passed the I M F first test, but the domestic has failed with less taxes collected, theses are warning signs and they have absolutely nothing to do with the D L P or the last decade. This and the expected future domestic failures using the current unsustainable method will fall fully at the door step of this Mottley lead administration. So yes Paul and the D L P failed the sector, the Arthur administration also failed agriculture, and the current government have boarded the same bus to the said (destination) failure on agriculture.
Greengiant, I can feel your love for me with your every post — cussing me and all. It must be clear to you by now that the feeling is reciprocal. 🙂
The only thing in agriculture that matters in Bi m right now is planting Medical Weed.