Nurse wants clear policy on agriculture

Government has been cautioned against using the country’s remaining agricultural land to meet its goal of providing 10,000 houses over the next five years.

Independent Senator Lindell Nurse also suggested there is a need for a housing census to help the Mia Mottley administration execute its housing policy efficiently and effectively, as well as an agriculture census.

Contributing to debate on the Appropriation Bill, 2022 on Monday, he expressed concern about the lack of clear policy on agriculture and said Government needed to balance the use of land for housing and farming.

Back in January, Prime Minister Mia Mottley gave her administration’s commitment to building at least 10,000 new homes over the five-year term of her Barbados Labour Party.

“Where is the land going to be coming from to satisfy that requirement for space to meet that objective of the Government?” Senator Nurse questioned.

“There has to be a balancing act. Government has got to make sure that they’re not going to be using up or withdrawing that remaining agricultural patrimony to provide land spaces for housing development. We have got to use what is available for agriculture and to see that is properly protected.”

Senator Nurse said this did not mean that Government had to abandon its housing proposal, but to find the best way to execute it without taking land out of agriculture.

“I caution Government, therefore, not to take the easy route. The easy route of course is to take agricultural land and use that for housing. Look for the alternatives,” he insisted, as he lamented that large amounts of land have been given permission for development only to be left idle.

Senator Nurse suggested there was still lots of space in the City that could be used for housing as he urged Government to follow through on previously stated plans.

“We can increase housing densities in those areas by looking for strategies such as apartment, condominium, duplex housing, the types of [solutions] which do not call upon us to use more and more land space,” he said.

The Independent Senator also suggested that Government should this year carry out a housing census which would collect information about the number and types of houses in the country.

“It is the type of information with which the Government would be well-armed as it goes forward in terms of its policy implementation for housing,” he said.

“I would also, in similar fashion, having spoken about the question of the agricultural land . . . recommend another agricultural census and agricultural development plan which I’m sure would be of immense value to Government in terms of its policies.”

Senator Nurse lamented that over a 14-year-old period, the land available for agricultural production in Barbados had been reduced by almost 50 per cent.

He made reference to the fact that while the 2003 physical development plan stated there were about 45,000 acres of agricultural land available, that figure fell to 25,000 acres in 2017, according to the physical development plan that is now in draft.

“Having recognised that this is going to be a key aspect for food security as we move forward, how are we going to ensure that we protect that remaining [land]? I would venture to say that we must probably be on the periphery now of adequate lands for our agricultural purposes,” Senator Nurse lamented.(DP)