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Decision-Making: Coordinating Bodies
Under
the Rural Agricultural Development Authority Act, RADA is established to inter
alia: Provide an efficient agricultural extension service and participate in the
formulation and implementation of appropriate rural development projects with a
view to stimulating and facilitating the development of Agriculture in Jamaica;
and, Encourage and, so far as maybe practicable having regard to the financial
and other resources at the disposal and to the statutory powers of the
authority, to secure proper economic and efficient utilization of all land in
rural areas.
Land
The
Rural Physical Planning division has been involved to a great extent in the
zoning of lands. There is a range of circumstances in which decisions on type of
land use - agriculture, forestry, urban, tourism, etc. - are taken, in whole or
part, on the basis of the inherent properties of the land.
Poverty Reduction
The
Ministry of Agriculture is one of the partners in the Poverty Eradication
Programme. The Ministry
collaborates at national, parish and community levels.
Such collaboration is an integral element in the implementation plan
because it facilitates the pooling of resources for maximum benefit.
The appropriate sections and offices of the Ministry are involved at
various levels of planning and implementation.
The Ministry of Agriculture Poverty Eradication Committee is proactive in
providing structure, co-ordination and direction to the poverty eradication
effort in its agency, and must work in collaboration with its counter parts in
other agencies as well as with the other partners.
Decision-Making:
Legislation and Regulations
Integrated Pest Management
Under
this IPM policy the provisions of the Plant Quarantine Act is being rigorously
enforced, thereby strengthening the quarantine services. This includes numerical
strengthening and training to improve technical competence.
Land
Degradation and Rehabilitation
Four
statutes have a major influence on soil resources issues:
· The Forest Act
· The Watershed Protection Act
· The Rural Agricultural Development Authority Act
·
The Town and Country Planning Act.
Sections of
the Forest Act sets out a number of prohibited activities in a forest reserve.
The prohibited acts include the following: girdling, lopping, uprooting,
and burning of trees, kindling and carrying of fire, manufacturing or removal of
forest produce. The Watersheds Protection Act is intended to reduce soil
erosion, ensure regular flow in rivers and streams, encourage optimum levels of
groundwater and encourage proper land use.
Watershed
Development
The Watersheds Protection Act (1963) is the law governing watersheds in Jamaica and is administered by the Natural Resources Conservation Authority. The primary focus of the act is the conservation of water resources by protecting land in or adjoining the watersheds. The Act is intended to; ensure proper land use in vital watershed areas; reduce soil erosion; maintain optimum levels of groundwater and promote regular flows in waterways. The Act relies heavily on prohibiting and regulating to protect the declared watersheds.
Decision-Making: Strategies,
Policies and Plans
Agricultural Policy Review
The
national strategy on sustainable development (SARD) of Jamaica is embodied in
the 1999 draft of the Policy Framework document on The Development of the
Agricultural Sector, the contents of which must first go through the prescribed
legislative steps before it becomes a policy.
The
objectives stated in the Policy Framework draft are outlined below:
·
Improving rural infrastructure, including road, water, power and
telecommunications
·
Development of human resources, through vocational training and other
activities, which are necessary to encourage stable growth through development,
oriented investments.
·
Increasing land ownership, which is important for achieving, desired
investments.
Land policy
as related to Agriculture:
·
Government will make a greater effort to preserve arable land
(especially classes 1 and 2) for agricultural purposes as far as is viable as
possible.
·
Agricultural land use maps are to be upgraded to identify land
capability and suitability for various types of crop.
·
Conservation measures and improved agricultural practices are to be used
to reduce soil erosion and maintain soil fertility and increase productivity.
There is no written policy, which specifically addresses the conversion of arable land for purposes other than agriculture. The guidelines outlined below were adapted from the document “A suggested National Soils Policy for Jamaica”.
·
In the area of agricultural land use, all arable lands will be preserved
for agricultural purposes as far as viable and possible.
The agricultural mapping system will be reviewed to identify land
capability and suitability for various types of crops.
Government will also endeavour to bring about a significant reduction in
the amount of under-utilized arable land.
·
As far as land policy for "industrial activity" is concerned,
Government's new national industrial policy clearly indicates that there will be
continuing provision of new industrial land by Government within urban
boundaries to form an integral component of settlement development strategy.
·
Over the next two years, Government will review the roles and functions
of all the agencies involved in land management and develop institutional
modalities that will eliminate inefficiencies and promote co-ordinated
decision-making.
·
Finally, in terms of the planning approval process, Government will
harmonize the operations of Town Planning Department and the NRCA with
particular reference to the administration of the country's environmental impact
assessment (EIA) requirements. This
EIA requirement, which, through the NRCA Act, is now applicable to public sector
developments, will be extended to block zoning and plans.
Greater
efforts are being made to preserve all arable lands for agricultural purposes as
far as is viable and possible. There are three policies that are applicable in
this context. They are National Land Policy, National Settlement Strategy and
the National Industrial Policy.
Government
will endeavour to bring about a significant reduction in the amount of under-utilised
land, under the Land Development and Utilization Act.
Guidelines
to integrate environmental concerns into Agricultural Development Projects are
as follows:
·
All lands of environmental importance will, unless decided otherwise by
Cabinet, remain vested in Government, but could however be leased for approved
uses/management with relevant conditions. These
areas would include watersheds, wildlife sanctuaries and quays.
·
All new agricultural developments (including change of agricultural use)
over 5 hectares must obtain a permit from the Natural Resources Conservation
Authority, with inputs from the Ministry of Agriculture.
Agricultural development of 25 hectares and over may require an
Environmental Impact Assessment.
·
The “Polluter pays”
principle and application of the best practical available technology among basic
responses to Jamaica’s environmental problems.
Major activities:
·
Development of government lands
Special
attention is to be given to the use of Government lands. This includes the
following:
·
acceleration of the process of divestment of such lands for productive
purposes.
·
centralization of the divestment process;
·
enforcing the non-performers clause within the context of the existing
divestments.
Crop Zoning
Crop
Zoning is expected to play an important role in investment decisions and the
Rural Physical Planning Division of the Ministry of Agriculture will play a key
role in this area, particularly in relation to land capability and soil
management.
Irrigation Programmes
Government
recognizes that there must be increased development of irrigation programmes and
proper management of irrigation systems. It has therefore prepared a master plan
for the development of this service on a phased basis. The National Irrigation
Commission (NIC) has been in charge
of the effective management of the system.
Electricity and telecommunications
The
Government will work together with the respective agencies responsible for the
provision of electricity and telecommunications to ensure that these services
are delivered to rural areas on a phased but timely basis.
Roads and other
infrastructure
The
Government recognizes the important role played by the development and proper
maintenance of a network of farm roads in attracting investments to the sector
and in reducing costs as well as improving marketability. It is therefore
committed to ensuring that adequate budgetary provision is made for this
purpose.
Development of Human Resources
The
Government is committed to the effective development of rural population through
the development of educational programmes and institutions. This includes
primary and secondary schools; The College of Agriculture Science and Education
(CASE); The HEART Academy and the University of the West Indies.
Involvement of Youth in the
sector
The
government is involving youth in the sector through a Youth in Agriculture
programme which has three components:
·
Revitalization of the schools’ agricultural programme;
·
Identification of properties to be leased/sold to youth;
·
Specific macro-projects which would address some of the factors
militating against youth involvement.
·
Lift-up Jamaica
Involvement of women in
agriculture Programme
The
Government recognizes the importance of women in the agricultural sector. Women
were always involved in the marketing of domestic crops. The government intends
to promote and encourage a more direct involvement of women in the ownership and
management of farms through on-farm production, agro-processing and cottage
industries.
Jamaica’s Commitment in
the WTO
Under
its Uruguay Round Commitments, Jamaica has complied with WTO rulings and has
reduced ceilings to a rate of 100% for duties on agricultural commodities.
Other duties and charges were bound at 15 percent except for a list of 56
products for which rates were set at 80 percent, and for three (3) products set
at 200 percent. These products
include bovine and swine meat, poultry, vegetables, some cereals, fruit juices,
and sugar other than raw sugar. Applied
tariff rates range from 0-40 percent with inputs normally subject to low rates
or granted duty free access.
Jamaica did
not include in its WTO schedule the use of any export subsidies and therefore
has no obligation to reduce export subsidies.
Jamaica does not supply any trade distortion support measures and is
therefore not required to reduce their measures. All the domestic support measures fall in the category of
“the Green Box” and are not subject to reduction.
Access Quotas – Tariff Rate Quotas:
This section of the WTO agreement is not applicable to Jamaica as it does
not use quotas or any form of quantitative restrictions on imports.
Food Security
Jamaica
has submitted a report dated January 26, 1998 to the Food and Agricultural
Organization (FAO) in relation to the follow-up on the implementation of the
World Food Summit Plan of Action (1996). In retrospect of the seven commitments
outlined in the summit there is reported progress in the following areas as
outlined in the progress report.
The
Jamaican Government will ensure an enabling political, social and economic
environment designed to create the best conditions for the eradication of
poverty and for durable peace, based on full and equal participation of women
and men, which is most conducive to achieving sustainable food security for all.
Government is in the process of
implementing a National Industrial Policy to achieve growth and prosperity in
the Jamaican economy. Through this policy the government is committed to
building and sustaining a ‘Social Partnership’ which fosters collaborative
effort between the government, the business sector, the labour unions in an
effort to achieve national development goals of growth with stability, social
equity, and conservation of the environment. There is a proposal for the
creation of a Commission on Gender and Social equity which advocates gender
balance in the appointment of various economic committees and the policy areas
involved in implementation of the industrial policy as well as systemic effort
to incorporate specific policies, programmes, action plans and measures designed
to improve the status of women in Jamaican society;
The
Jamaican government will pursue participatory and sustainable food, agriculture,
fisheries, forestry and rural development policies and practices in high and low
potential areas, which are essential to adequate and reliable food supplies at
the household, national, regional and global levels, and combat pests, drought,
decertification considering the multifunctional character of agriculture.
One of
Government’s objectives for the agricultural sector is to increase production
and productivity in order to make greater contribution to national food
security. This is being achieved in the following ways:
·
A production target of 10% increase per annum for domestic food crops.
·
A Master Irrigation Development Plan has being developed and the
government is now in the process of seeking funding of projects which will
reduce farmers’ dependence on rainfall.
·
The Ministry has completed the implementation of a Hillside Agricultural
Project (HAP) in the eastern watershed, which was successful in carrying out
rehabilitation of denuded hillsides as well as improvement in farmers’ income.
A successor project is now being prepared for the Hope and Great River
Watersheds for which funding is being sought.
·
Priority is being given to a reforestation programme. A public awareness
programme is being implemented and 100 hectares of forests will be established
on private lands.
·
The research and extension services are to be upgraded to provide
farmers with appropriate technology. To this end, an Agricultural Support
Services Project (ASSP) has been prepared and is awaiting funding.
·
The interest rate on agricultural credit has been reduced to an average
level of just under 20% per annum.
·
Post Harvest Management training is being intensified to reduce post
harvest losses and increase marketable agricultural produce. Consequently
several workshops have been held to promote this and will continue to be
accorded high priority in training programmes for both staff and farmers.
·
Legislation is being upgraded to protect consumers through improved food
quality safety. To this end parts of Codex standards are being used for the
development of local standards. The first Codex standard on irradiated foods has
been adopted.
·
The levels of residues in agricultural produce are being monitored. To
this end, only licensed insecticides can enter Jamaica.
·
A laboratory for residue analysis in meat and dairy products has been
established at the Veterinary Division.
·
The training of public health inspectors in food safety is on-going.
·
Monitoring of the impact of reduction of tariffs on competing produce.
·
Priority is also being given to existing farmers to become more
efficient and competitive through Improved research, extension, irrigation and
other infrastructure.
The
Jamaican Government will endeavour and be prepared for natural disasters and
man-made emergencies and to meet transitory and emergency food requirements in
ways that encourage recovery, rehabilitation, development and the capacity to
satisfy future needs. In Jamaica, there is an organization called the ‘Office
of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) which has the
responsibility of providing food, shelter, disease control measures and access
to individuals and communities which have been affected by natural disasters.
The organization carries out this role with the assistance of all relevant
Ministries of Government, organizations and agencies as well as co-ordinating
relief supplies from private agencies both local and overseas.
Land
The
revised National Physical Plan 1978-1998 broadly outlined a national development
strategy which identified urban growth points, conservation areas (inland and
marine parks, wetlands and watersheds) and mining and agricultural areas. The
land use decisions have been to a large extent guided by this broad-brush
strategy. However, there have been instances in which developments do not
conform to this strategy.
The
comprehensive task of preparing a Natural Master Land Use Plan is intended to be
created.
Jamaica’s
Land Policy as related to Agriculture is threefold:
·
Government will make a greater effort to preserve arable land
(especially class 1 and 2), for agricultural purposes as far as is viable and
possible.
·
Agricultural land use maps are to be updated to identify land capability
and sustainability for various types of crops.
·
Conservation measures and improved agricultural practices are to be used
to reduce soil erosion and maintain soil fertility and increase productivity.
Soil
conservation strategies have been employed by a number of projects such as:
·
Forestry Development and Watershed Management in the
Upland Regions (1968-1975)
·
Second Integrated Rural Development Project (1978)
·
Strengthening the National Soil Conservation Programme for Integrated
Watershed Development (1979-1982).
·
Strengthening of Department of Forestry and Soil Conservation and
Institutional strengthening of the Department of Forestry and Soil Conservation.
·
Hillside Agricultural Project (1987-1998)
·
The National Forestry Action Programme (1990-)
·
The Agroforestry Development Project
(992-94 and 1995-98).
·
There is a recent U.K. funded research project on Forest Clearance,
Agroforestry and Soil Conservation.
Information
from the Ministry of Agriculture’s Rural Physical Planning Division states
that special attention is to be given to the protective use of Government lands,
including the following measures:
·
acceleration of the process of divestment of Government lands for
productive enterprises
·
centralization of the land divestment process; and,
·
invoking the non-performance clause with respect to existing divestment
agreements
Jamaica
through its regulatory body the National Resource Conservation Authority (NRCA)
has adopted the following policy; to promote the integrated protection of land;
conservation and development of land and water resources in watersheds for their
sustainable use and for the benefit of the nation as a whole.
Through
the NRCA the following strategies were formulated to:
·
Develop a National Watershed Programme
·
Establish an Inter-Ministerial Watershed Management Committee
·
Strengthen human and financial resources required to co-ordinate
employment and monitor work in the watersheds
·
Bank each watershed and establish priorities for interventions.
·
Secure budgetary support for implementation of the policy.
Integrated
Pest Management and Control in Agriculture
While
recognizing that chemicals will be continue to play an important role in the
management of pests, under this IPM policy government is guided by available
information, continue to enhance national pesticide control capabilities. This
is attended firstly through the strengthening of the Pesticide Control Act and
relevant regulations as seem necessary. The active participation of the general
population, farmers, agricultural workers and consumers in particular is
enlisted through education and training and training programmes designed to
increase awareness about pesticides.
The
Government of Jamaica is cognizant that overdependence on pesticides will affect
the ecological balances of nature and is also committed to assisting farmers to
increase their productivity and chances for making a livelihood from agriculture
to institute an Integrated Pest Management programme.
The
government ensures effective agricultural extension capability by providing the
necessary support to Rural Agricultural Development Authority, agricultural
commodity boards, and other agencies responsible for training. Of major
importance is the development of a team of highly trained IPM specialists. This
is to be spearheaded by a national training of trainers’ programme. Government
will encourage and facilitate the earliest establishment of rapid retrieval
information system with direct linkages to international databases to support
the national IPM programme. This will facilitate, where feasible, the options of
technology validation as opposed to basic research.
A
public awareness campaign will be implemented through Jamaica Information
Service to educate consumers on the superiority of IPM in the sustainable
production of wholesome food, the protection of human health, and the
preservation of the environment.
Government
will restore its own diagnostic and identification capabilities now located at
the Island’s research station. Elaborate, clear and efficient procedures for
reporting pest problems will be embarked on.
Integrated Plant Nutrition
Management
Although
there is no written policy on Integrated Plant Nutrition, the government of
Jamaica is committed to ensuring an ecologically balanced environment and
consequently the concept of Integrated Plant Nutrition (IPN) is practised
islandwide by small farmers and in more recent times by commercial farmers.
This practise includes using nitrogen-fixing plants; appropriate soil
management techniques, including mulching and fallow periods; resistant
varieties; compatible cropping systems (e.g. inter-cropping) and agroforestry;
practices giving due consideration to animal welfare; biological control of
pests, and manual, mechanical and thermal weeding.
Although
there continues to be a dependence on chemical fertilizers to increase
production and productivity, there is a shift towards finding and using
alternative methods. Practices such
as organic farming including composting are now being used.
The Government realizes the trade off in becoming involved in integrated
pest management as the use of organic fertilizers aid in keeping the environment
healthy and provide the economic and health benefit of producing and consuming
organically grown food.
The
Jamaican Government through the Rural Agricultural Development Authority is
involved significantly in the implementation of activities to motivate farmers
to take an integrated plant nutrition approach in their on farm operations. To
date some of the practices encouraged are:
·
Reduction in the use of inorganic fertilizers while increasing the use
of organic fertilizers such as composting and mulching.
·
Crop rotation is emphasized and those farmers who have medium to large
land holdings are encouraged to leave overused land to fallow.
·
Farmers are discouraged from the widely used "slash and burn"
method for clearing land.
·
Implementing proper soil conservation measures such contouring and
trenching.
·
There is an ongoing integrated pest management programme, which is
responsible for the judicious use of chemicals such as herbicides and
pesticides.
Plant and Animal Genetic
Diversity
Species diversity is normally considered to be one of the
primary indicators of a healthy ecosystem in Jamaica. Wild endangered animals
are protected under the Wild Life Protection Act (1945). Investigations conducted by the NRCA between 1993 to 1996
revealed that there has been a significant increase in the number of protected
animals held in captivity over the years. Wild
life attractions linked to nature tourism are considered to be one of the
contributing factors.
Regulatory
bodies include National Resource Conservation Authority (NRCA), Ministry of
Agriculture, Environment Foundation of Jamaica which carry out regulatory
functions with respect to environmental concerns.
The
concerns that are stated above are all reflected in the statement of objectives
enunciated in Jamaica’s National Environmental Action Plan. These objectives
include:
·
Creating attitudes and behaviour, which are responsible and oriented to
action in environmental protection and the sustainable use of natural resources.
·
Encouraging the use of non-renewable resources.
·
Ensuring that renewable resources including forests and wildlife are
used in a sustainable manner.
·
Ensuring good air quality in Jamaica.
·
Ensuring surface and underground water are in sufficient quantities and
quality appropriate for present and future human needs and ecosystem integrity.
·
Providing for the protection and conservation of plants and animals,
particularly endemic species.
·
Minimizing the impact of natural hazards and environmental hazards on
the population, the economy and on natural systems.
·
Allowing for global environmental co-operation and security with special
attention to the needs of developing countries and the circumstances of
vulnerable islands states.
·
Enhancing the natural beauty of the island in
natural areas, built-up areas, roadways, and open spaces on both public and
private land.
·
Protecting and preserving the marine environment and territorial waters
within the exclusive economic zone.
Water for Sustainable Food Production and Sustainable Rural Development
The
Government is intent on ensuring that the provision of water for agricultural
purposes is done:
·
In a cost effective and efficient manner.
·
In a manner to facilitate sustained social and economic growth
development.
·
With develop regard health and environment considerations
The
Government will promote:
·
Achievement of cost efficiencies
·
Mobilization of additional sources of funding and investment support
from the private sector and external sources.
·
Introduction of cost recovery mechanisms to ensure that the direct
beneficiary pays and that the supply of services can be maintained and expanded.
·
Encouragement of farmer participation in the management and distribution
of irrigation water
·
Introduction of conservation measures including measures to improve
irrigation efficiencies and improve losses.
·
Expansion of irrigation facilities on a phased basis to agricultural
belts across the country with particular emphasis on the arid but highly
production southern agricultural parishes.
·
Development of ways and means to facilitate the need of hillside small
farmers.
Farmers
are encouraged to adopt more efficient on-farm systems.
This has resulted in a number of farmers acquiring more efficient on-farm
irrigation system. This has been
achieved through educating farmers mostly through demonstration plots and
demonstration of more efficient equipment as to the benefits to be gained from
the use of improved irrigation technologies.
The
recently completed National Irrigation Plan recognizes the importance of the use
of improved technologies and to this end projects have been packaged with the
on-farm systems as a component to the funding requirements. In addition to
these, the current irrigation charges has as one of its components a demand
charge whereby farmers pay for the amount of water used.
A serious effort is being made to ensure that all users of the systems
are metered.
Water Logging:
The
following steps are taken: The use of our extension service/officers to educate
the farmers in appropriate land levelling and irrigation methods; and, also in
the efficient use of on-farm water.
Salinization:
·
the monitoring of wells (especially those in saline areas to prevent
over-pumping.
·
the monitoring of water used for agriculture from saline wells.
·
preventing the use of recycled leached water.
·
issuing advice on proper drainage levels of farmlands.
Teaching
is the most widely used reclamation treatment in Jamaica. However, groundwater
sources that show increasing trends to salinity are usually taken out of
operation. These are quickly
recognized through the Groundwater Monitoring Programme that the Water Resources
Authority carries out.
Steps are
taken in order to prevent adverse effects of agriculture on water quality. These
steps include the use of our extension service officers (in conjunction with the
RADA officers), to educate and advice the farmers on crop production
technologies example in the appropriate use of fertilizers and pesticides.
Source -
National Irrigation Development Master Plan (NIDP) Annex E – 2.3 Management
– Irrigation – Practices – E-11.
Decision-Making: Major
Groups involvement
See
also under Decision-Making: Strategies, Policies, and Plans.
The Home
Economics/Social Services Section of RADA (Rural Agricultural Development
Authority), 4-H Clubs, agricultural institutions of learning (University of the
West Indies, College of Agriculture Science and Education et al.) and the
Jamaica Agricultural Society solicit and facilitate the participation of women
and youth, small farmers and other indigenous groups in agricultural issues.
Jamaica
Agricultural Society (JAS)
The
agricultural society which represents farmers islandwide has as its mandate, to
ensure the protection and promotion of farmers' interest through a vigorous,
independent and financially viable organization providing services to farmers
and assisting them to gain access to resources provided government and other
agencies and to enhance global policy initiatives in order to achieve social and
economic development of the rural poor. JAS is represented on various committees
and statutory organizations which deal with agriculture.
Programmes and Projects
Food Security
Government
is implementing policies aimed at eradicating poverty and inequality and
improving physical and economic access by all and at all times to provide
sufficient, nutritionally adequate and safe food. To achieve this government is
committing significant financial resources to projects such as the Social
Investment Fund (SIF) established to attack the root causes of poverty and
hunger through the provision of community training, institutional building, and
employment creation through small business development. Other poverty
alleviation programmes include public assistance programmes, which provide aid
to persons who have little or no income or who are incapacitated. These
programmes are the Food Aid Programme; Poor Relief; Economic and Social
Assistance Programmes for the Aged; Programmes for persons with disabilities and
Emergency Relief Services.
Government
implements several public assistance programmes that provide aid to persons who
have little or no income or who are incapacitated.
The programmes are:
·
Food Aid Programme
The
Food Aid Prograrmme is designed to supplement the food intake of persons who are
at risk of becoming malnourished and others who have little or no visible
income. It provides improved nutritional levels for school children, pregnant
and lactating mothers and children aged 0-6 years. The aims of the programme are
achieved through the Food Stamp Programme and the supplementary and School
Feeding Programmes.
·
Food Stamp Programme
This
a welfare programme initiated by the government to assist persons who are
classified in the categories of pregnant/lactating women; children 0-6 years;
elderly poor/disabled; single person households (earning under Ja$7000 per
annum); households of 2 or more (earning under Ja$18000). For the period
1999/2000 the programme targeted 248,000 beneficiaries. These individuals are
given an allowance in the form of food stamps, which can be used to purchase
certain food items.
·
School Feeding Programme
The
School Feeding Programme is one of the social safety net measures being
implemented by the Government and forms part of the larger National Poverty
Eradication Programme. It caters to students in pre-primary, public primary and
secondary schools to which it provides nutrition supplement in the form of at
least one balanced meal per day.
·
Supplementary
Feeding
Funds
were provided to each parish for providing nutritional supplements for
malnourished children.
Land
Environmental
monitoring, by which is meant quantitative measurement of changes with time, is
an established method internationally, through the Global Environmental
Monitoring System (GEMS) of United Nations
Environmental Protection (UNEP). In
Jamaica monitoring is done, first of erosion, and secondly of other forms of
soil degradation.
The
monitoring programme involves estimating present rates of erosion; assessing the
consequences of erosion, including both on-site productivity and off-site
effects and converting these estimates into economic terms, as financial and
social costs.
Other
programmes implemented include land zoning.
As a result of this programme an objective criteria for defining land of
high agricultural productivity is to be set up and its extent mapped.
Integrated Pest Management Programmes
The
Ministry of Agriculture provides technical support to the farming community
adopting IPM as the sanctioned pest management approach for Jamaica.
In
fulfilling its mandate to provide technical support to the farming community,
the Ministry of Agriculture has adopted Integrated Pest Management (IPM)
programmes as the principal means of controlling agricultural pests. It is
agreed that overdependence on chemical pesticides reduces quality of life by
increasing environmental concerns and disrupting crop production processes.
Through the vehicles of research and development, and Extension services an
effective IPM programme has been put in place.
Some measures adopted are; use of pheromones, biological control, pest
harvesting, using resistant varieties, crop barriers, crop rotation, field
sanitation, appropriate time of planting and solarization.
The
prime objectives of the IPM programme are:
·
To advance the health status of all Jamaicans and those who use our
agricultural produce through better management of pesticides in crop production.
·
Protecting and preserving Jamaica's ecological resources through
promotion and facilitating optimally lowered levels of environmental
contamination by agricultural pesticides.
·
Increasing farm productivity, facilitating improved profitability and
enhancing farmer and rural welfare, through promotion and facilitating optimally
reduces levels of crop damage by agricultural pests.
·
Encourage and facilitating the development of ecologically, socially and
economically appropriate IPM programmes for all crops grown commercially in
Jamaica.
The
Global Integrated Pest Management (IPM) Facility has not been used. However, it
is intended to be used in upcoming programmes.
Rural energy transition to
enhance productivity
·
Munro Project : This is a 300 kilowatt wind turbine system used at Munro
College. They also sell power to
Jamaica Public Service Company
Limited (JPSCo) for use in their regular supply.
·
The JPSCo Ltd. in expanding the national grid has also implemented a
program to install photovoltaic system in rural areas. This system to date has
been installed at Middle Bonnet in St. Catherine
Implement
integrated farm management technologies and practices
The
Government of Jamaica through its training and extension arm, the Rural
Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) has implemented activities and
programmes in order to improve farm production and farming systems.
These activities and programmes are as follows:
1.
Crop Rotation
Training
sessions are conducted both on -farm and at the farmers' training centre. The
activities undertaken with respect to crop rotation include:
·
The use of nitrogen fixing plants in the crop rotation cycles, which
facilitates the replenishment of nitrogen in soil.
·
The use of insect repellent crop varieties to break the life cycle of
pests and diseases.
·
Planting crops in the seasons they grow best in consequently creating a
rotation of crops throughout the year.
2.
Organic plant nutrients
Jamaica's
government in collaboration with the Canadian International Development Agency
initiated the Soils Nutrients for Agricultural Productivity programme in 1995.
The objectives of this programme include:
·
Tracking fertilizer through the distribution network.
·
Determining the agro-social factors affecting fertiliser usage.
·
Establishing crop nutrient requirements and diagnostic procedures.
·
Assessing application practices
·
Reporting on the impacts, if any, of proper fertilizer usage.
·
With the onset of the Integrated Plant Nutrition Programme (IPN) farmers
in Jamaica are encouraged to reduce the use of inorganic fertilizers while
increasing the application of organic methods such as mulching, and the use of
animal dung.
3.
Prevention of Pre and Post Harvest losses
·
RADA's training and marketing division facilitates with the training of
farmers in the areas of pre- and post-harvest technology. Farmers are trained to
detect early traits of infected crops and the required precautionary measures to
be taken, packaging crops directly in the fields, and grading.
·
Appropriate cultural practices are recommended to farmers who are
incorporated into the Integrated Pest Management programme.
·
Specially designed crates are been used to discourage over-packing and
for uniformity. These crates facilitate for easier stacking on the trucks.
·
Farmers are encouraged to store harvested crops away from sunlight.
·
There are established cooling rooms, which are owned by the government
but are used by producer marketing organizations.
·
Some farmers gain access to cooling facilities through their association
with a co-operative e.g. the Christiana Growers’ co-operative.
·
One responsibility of the Ministry of Commerce and Technology is to
ensure that good post harvest management practises are implemented and sustained
among private and publicly owned facilities.
·
Through the Agriculture Export Services Project (AESP) refrigerated
trucks were made available to farmers in certain areas to transport fresh
produce from the farm gate to the point of sale (export or local market). To
date these trucks are still being made available to farming groups.
4.
Effective use of external inputs
Emphasis is
now being placed on the Integrated Pest Management programme (IPM).
The IPM programme emphasizes better management of pesticides and reduced
use of the more toxic and persistent ones in order to make crop production safer
for agricultural workers and reduce the hazards to which users and handlers of
pesticides are exposed.Through RADA effective water usage is encouraged by:
·
Discouraging furrow irrigation while encouraging drip irrigation using
sprinkler irrigation system; and,
·
Using mulch in the form of vegetation (grass) and/or plastic.
Removal of Agricultural
Subsidies
The
following reforms were implemented as a part of structural adjustment programme
in the 1980s and 1990s:
·
The Generalized Food Subsidy Programme administered by the Jamaica
Commodity Trading Company (JCTC) was abolished. In addition JCTC has ceased to
have the monopoly on imports of basic items eg. corn, soybean, wheat, skim milk
powder and rice. All general subsidies were eliminated.
·
Credit subsidies were removed and market related credit terms were
adopted.
·
The General Consumption Tax that is currently 15% is waived on a number
of specified agricultural inputs under the General Consumption Tax law.
Machinery and other inputs into the production of agricultural commodities are
also exempted from Customs Duties.
The Domestic Food Crop Project
The
government has allocated $50 million to assist in counteracting the negative
effects of the drought as well as contributing to the expansion of production.
The Domestic food crop project as it is termed would aim to increase production
and productivity of eight selected crops for the export and local markets,
through the planting of an additional 1970 hectares in geographical areas, which
have demonstrated distinct competitive advantage.
Fruit Tree Crop Project
The
government has allocated Ja$100 million to implement the Fruit Tree Crop Project
over the next three years. The main
objectives of the project are:
·
To increase long –term income by developing and producing commercial
orchards of fruit tree crops;
·
To reduce environmental degradation and encourage long-term conservation
measures. This will be done by reducing soil erosion and producing fruit trees
on sloping soil thus discouraging the planting of clean cultivation crops on
steep hillsides.
· To encourage the development of the food processing indust