Key: Govt Needs To Get Serious About Agriculture

Wed, Dec 7th 2011, 08:38 AM

The agricultural sector is "grossly underfunded", according to Bahamas Agricultural and Industrial Corporation (BAIC) Executive Chairman Edison Key, who charged yesterday that the government is not serious enough about food security. Key, who was speaking at a press conference at BAIC headquarters to launch the 'Buy Fresh, Buy Bahamian' campaign, said the government does not do nearly enough for the agriculture industry.

"If agriculture is developed in full form in The Bahamas, there would be no unemployment in The Bahamas," he said. "We would be importing people.

"There's no question that we could produce all the food that we need in this country."

The most recently recorded unemployment rate is 13.7 percent, down from 14.2 percent last year. However, the number of people who are no longer looking for work (discouraged workers) increased by 34.8 percent. Key said more needs to be done to develop the agriculture industry.

"I think the government needs to take the initiative and really get serious about food security in this country.  They have to pump more money in agriculture," he said.

"We pump money into tourism, we pump money into Bahamasair, we pump money into ZNS, but agriculture doesn't get its share of the pie.  So if the government, each year in the budget would put a $10 million or $15 million allocation for agriculture, in 10 years we would be feeding ourselves.  We would be exporting food.

"That's the direction we need to move in.  So we just need some serious minds and people in the right place who believe that we can and we will feed ourselves."

In the 2011/2012 budget, the Department of Agriculture received an allocation of $7.6 million. Key was not sure yesterday how much of that money actually goes towards food security. But he added that if the government sends the money to BAIC, officials "will make it work". Key said BAIC is doing what it can to expand the agricultural sector. He said the 'Buy Fresh, Buy Bahamian' campaign will encourage support of locally produced produce.

"Through this initiative greater access to a wider variety of fresh fruit and vegetables is being made available to the general public, and farmers and producers are finding a larger market opening to them," Key said.

He noted that historically, marketing has been a serious challenge for farmers throughout the islands. Key said while they do provide quality products, wholesalers, retailers and consumers rarely know what they have.

The campaign seeks to bridge that gap between farmers and producers on the one hand, and wholesalers, retailers, restaurateurs, hoteliers, farmers market operators, and the general public on the other. BAIC will host its annual Farmers and Buyers Forum on Thursday at the North Andros High School Auditorium at 7 p.m.

Key said the corporation is trying to educate the general public about buying Bahamian goods. "It's going to take a little while, but we'll get there," he said. "As an independent nation, feeding ourselves must be a national priority.  Now is the time to lay the groundwork for a more healthy and secure nation.  Buy fresh, buy Bahamian."

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