Senators call for incentives to help grow agriculture sector

Two Independent Senators want to see subsidies and policy support given to the local agriculture sector, similar to what is provided for other industries.

Senators Andrew Mallalieu and Lindell Nurse highlighted the benefits of providing incentives to the sector on Wednesday as they contributed to debate in the Upper House on a Private Members Resolution drafted by Independent Senator Dr Chelston Brathwaite, on an Integrated Food Security Plan for Barbados, which underscored the importance of food security on the island.

Senator Mallalieu argued that although food security is considered a high-priority issue, the agricultural sector has not been given the same levels of support and interest as other industries.

“I have watched the protectionist approach . . .  [where] we kept foreign franchises out and we did develop an excellent locally-grown fast food business. I watch the garment industry which we protect through taxation, through incentives [and] through various things.

“All I ask is, have we really thought about how important food security is to us in setting policy that would allow capital to flow to that industry such that we could achieve the objectives?” he questioned.

Mallalieu added that although Barbados is a small island with limited resources, more can be done to fully utilise the arable land space.

“The reality is that we need to consider how much
land we have and what we can use it for. If we are going to say that food security is important and we are going to recognise that, when events happen in the world that affect us, fundamentally we need to produce enough protein, enough
carbs and enough vegetables to sustain our population,” he contended.

“If we can’t do it ourselves because we are on a tropical island, we need to look to our neighbours who have land abundant to them.”   

Senator Nurse added that other jurisdictions have seen great returns from providing incentives and other forms of support to the farming community.

“I know for example, in the US, business people actually buy farmers because the government has provided the level of subsidies and incentives which make farming a good investment. It’s a good vehicle which people use to reduce their taxes,” he said.

“I think that is another area that the Government has to look at and decide as part of its policy going forward – how it’s going to use these incentives to encourage more interest in farming.” (SB)