The Farmers’ Empowerment and Enfranchisement Drive (FEED) programme has failed in its objectives, Opposition Leader Ralph Thorne has charged.
“We’ve heard of the much-vaunted feed programmr, and it is such a beautiful acronym, but the sad news is that it has not met its objectives since less than 25 per cent of land-owning farmers are in production,” he said on Tuesday in his response to Prime Minister Mia Mottley’s Budget presentation.
“That is at the heart of the crisis in agriculture in this country. So when we hear these beautiful figures, these impressive figures, the reality is that the majority of landowners are not participating in agriculture.”
Accusing the government of misleading the country regarding what is happening in agriculture, Thorne said that many farmers involved in the non-sugar sector areas were struggling to produce.
“Farmers have been expressing surprise at the claim that there were increases in production of non-sugar crops and produce. They are saying that there have been shortages of chickens and eggs, or sweet potatoes or yams. In fact, across the vegetable farming sectors, farmers have been struggling,” he contended.
In light of the predictions of drought conditions, Thorne said there were expectations that this year would be the worst annual onion crop ever. He therefore asked what would be done to aid the farmers during this period.
“In the past, farmers were provided with incentives and assistance to offset the impact of the water shortage. Support with tanks, guttering, and pumps was provided to increase the water harvesting capacity. What has this government done lately for the farmer?” he questioned.
The opposition leader also said that the land under cotton production had been reduced from 2 000 acres to four acres and asked what plans were being made to address this.
He also pointed to other areas in the sector that required attention: “The farmers and the land lease project are suffering, and they cannot get water support…. What has happened to the $2 million promised to the Barbados Agricultural Society? Is it nothing to this government? This money allows farmers to draw from a revolving fund, easing cash flow problems, and is repaid through marketing of pigs and other produce. The people have a system. Please, government, help the people.”
The senior counsel also chided the government for short-sightedness with the now-ended social compact pointing in particular to small producers of chicken, noting that by forcing a lower price regime on this group, many dropped out of the market.
Adding more pressure, according to him, was the opening up of the protected chicken and pork market, which had allowed outside interests to now control food distribution.
He also pointed to a drop in pig production and importation of pork from Suriname as areas of concern.
“Food security is national security. Since local production is under threat, food security and national security are also under threat,” Thorne said.
(JB)
