Angelo Lawrence, Gleaner Writer
In continuation
of our special
focus on the
agricultural
sector
we present excerpts
of the views
of key
agricultural stakeholders
on the
state of livestock
sub-sector in Jamaica.
Mandeville, Manchester:
For the more than 400 residents of Breezie Hill, the yam farming community remains a forgotten one as the deteriorating road conditions take a toll on their lives.
Located 12 miles to the north of Christiana, its older residents are mainly yam farmers while the younger residents find work in nearby towns such as Mandeville and Christiana.
However, it is the yam from this community which helps to support the export market that is the major source of income for most households. But this livelihood, passed down from several generations, is now threatened due to the lack of usable roads for the farmers to take their produce to market or for buyers to get to the farmers.
When The Gleaner visited the community recently, what should have been a few minutes drive to speak with farmers, turned into a two-mile trek as the taxi operator refused to enter the community due to the deplorable condition of the roads.
"We don't know what to do," said farmer Clarence White in despair. Mr. White, who has travelled to the United States on several occasions on the Farm Work Programme, told The Gleaner that he has been farming from he was "knee high" and the present condition of the roads is the worst he has ever seen them.
Declaring that it is farming that sent two of his daughters to the Bethlehem Moravian College to become teachers, he complained that the future for his other children was looking bleak if the roads were not repaired quickly.
But Floyd Cole, 22 years old, while expressing the need for the road to be repaired, blamed the prevailing bad road conditions on the "passiveness" of the residents.
"Because we no mek up noise an dem ting deh," he reasoned. He contended that the residents did not want anything from Government, they just wanted the roads to be fixed so they could support themselves.
Seventy-three-year-old farmer, Joshua Simon was however not as gracious, making it clear that he paid his taxes on time every year and has seen nothing coming back to the community. "I don't want to see one politician in yah," he quickly asserted. According to him, they come with "a bag of promises" near election time.
When the Jamaica Labour Party's Councillor caretaker Clinton Dietrich was contacted, he said he was aware of the situation and would be happy to meet with the residents to see how to get the needed repairs done. The Peoples' National Party's (PNP) Fairbourne Maxwell, in whose division a part of the district falls, said he too was making representation to alleviate the problem.
However, for Israel Coleman, that was not good enough as he claimed he has been hearing that from he was a little boy and he is now 41 years old. He said the problem is that part of the community is represented by the Member of Parliament, the PNP's Dean Peart and the other part by the JLP's Audley Shaw. But neither one will take responsibility for repairing the road.
Other residents voiced their frustrations with not being able to go to church and the difficulty their children suffered last school term in getting transportation. They are particularly concerned that there are no street lights on the roadway, which makes it dangerous to navigate at nights.
In the meantime the residents are hoping that government will hear their plea and do something about the road.
WILLIAMS
Norman Williams - animal nutritionist
"I think from a technical point of view, from a performance point of view, we can stand with any beef producing country in the world. There is no genetic or no feeding programme restrictions that would inhibit us to produce a good-quality product here in Jamaica.
We have the capability to achieve excellence in beef production. I believe that we have the people, we have the people resource, we have the genetic capability. What we really need now is some policy decision that will see the industry moving forward."
JENNINGS
Dr. Paul Jennings - CEO, Jamaica Dairy Development Board
"I am saying that the beef industry is already competitive, and the dairy industry will become competitive, just on the basis of fresh milk, if we are looking at fresh milk as a commodity, because it can very well be competitive (with) people switching to value-added products that the consumer is willing to pay a much higher price for.
"(The) dairy industry, we have the technology, we have the genetic base undoubtedly, and essentially what we really need is some sort of a coordination in terms of matching public policy and business strategy at the farm and the producer end, to get our act together."
DUFFUS
Balteano Duffus - general secretary, Beef and Dairy Producers' Association of Jamaica (BADPAJ)
"The question about why this sector has been neglected for so many years, I think stems from two main reasons. First, I do not think that there is an appreciation by the policymakers of the importance of this sector.
"Secondly, in 1995, a study was done by the FAO (Food and Agriculture Organisation) to assess the effects of structural adjustments on Jamaica's agricultural sector, and it concluded that the beef and milk production were privately and socially unprofitable, thus uncompetitive. Policymakers grabbed on to this study and jettisoned the beef sector.
"(But) what the study was saying is, as a result of structural adjustment, globalisation, for which the beef and dairy sectors were ill-prepared and ill-equipped, that they are now uncompetitive. Now, instead of the policymakers saying let us find ways in which we can help this sector to find back its feet and to be competitive, the thing (sector) was jettisoned.
RAINFORD
Dr. Henry Rainford - managing director, Jamaica Livestock Association
"I have been in this thing for many, many years and it's really sad to see the industry where it is today, coming from a high of about 350,000 head of cattle, beef and dairy, to perhaps under 60,000 head as we speak.
"Last year when we did a census we came up with 85,000, and since then quite a bit of slaughtering is taking place because people saw it as an opportunity of getting some cash. But the industry has reached a stage where I think it can take on those farmers that are left in it. We've got to make sure we keep them in it. Very important. And that we can stop the slaughtering of it, because that's where we want to build. And that goes to beef and dairy.
I think those farmers that are left need some help, financial help, so that they don't have to slaughter their heifers in order to go to the supermarket, and that they can hold for a while."
STANBERRY
Donovan Stanberry - permanent secretary, Ministry of Agriculture and Lands
"There is no question in the Government's mind of the importance of the beef and dairy sectors. Indeed, these two sectors provide a major source of animal protein and the Government has to be serious in terms of sustaining that, and the matter of food security is a very important consideration.
"However, we cannot be unmindful of the environment in which we live and the realities of that. So, important as food security is, we also have to be concerned with the issues of efficiency and competitiveness. It is going to be difficult to constrain a housewife to buy the beef or the milk when in fact there is a cheaper alternative, and we are not insular anymore, we are operating in a free world.
"But, the answer frankly is not to be overwhelmed by these realities, but frankly to go back to the drawing board and to reposition ourselves and do what it takes to move the industry forward."
