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Is Food Security Still On The Radar?

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Minister of Agriculture Haynesley Benn

A few short months ago when the price of a barrel of oil skyrocketed to to close to USD150.00, the new David Thompson government reversed the old policy of significantly subsidizing gas and diesel to the Barbadians consumer. The decision obviously added to cost in the productive sectors resulting in inflation trending upwards. Of late the Leader of the Opposition has accused the government of delaying the announcement of the quarterly employment statistics. According to her and political pundits, when the statistics are released the numbers will show a large unemployment on the rise.  We shall see!

When the Democratic Labour Party (DLP) took office in January this year there was a high expectation among Barbadians that the neglect which the previous administration gave to the agricultural

CEO Agricultural Society
CEO Barbados Agricultural Society

sector would be reversed. Reason for the optimism stemmed from the appointment of Haynesley Benn to the agriculture ministry, and James Paul who is head of the Barbados Agricultural Society (BAS) and currently serving on the backbench of government. Both men are known to be genuine advocates of the cause for agriculture and have the track record to prove it. With world commodity prices on the rise, food security has become a big deal for most countries.

A check of the Central Bank statistics for Barbados show that we spend a large chunk of our scare foreign exchange to import food, by doing so  we also expose to imported inflation. More importantly it reflects the position that with rising food commodity prices our open economy is acutely vulnerable to external market fluctuations.

Against this background food security is something many Barbadians are in agreement we should work towards, although we suspect that it will be a difficult objective to achieve. The negative attitudes of most Barbadians is the key reason. The BLP when in office suggested that what little activity we now see in the agricultural sector is attributed to migrant labour, mainly the Guyanese. In our opinion the BLP prioritized the need to transform Barbados to a service economy at the expense of agriculture and the other sectors.

We do not understand if the government is committed to moving the agricultural sector forward why we have to witness the kind of disharmony being exhibited in the chicken industry for example. We have also been hearing the perennial cry from a St. Philip black belly sheep farmer Vincent Layne over the years which has risen to shrill in recent times. Are we hearing dissent from farmers in St. Philip who have had to highlight the action of a landowner who has restricted water distribution from a stream which flows over his land. We cold go on.

The increase in the price of feed is of concern. Roberts Manufacturing recently acquired by Neal & Massy is the sole producer of animal feed in Barbados. Many of our leading supermarkets previously owned by Barbados Shipping & Trading are now owned by Neal & Massy. Many of our farmers are slaves to the supermarkets to supply product. A picture is emerging which is of concern.

What is evident is that government needs to put together a strategic plan to respond to short, medium and long-term demands of the agricultural industry. It is not unprecedented for government to subsidize the agricultural sector. In fact it might be economically worthwhile when we factor the opportunity cost.

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10 responses to “Is Food Security Still On The Radar?”

  1. The scout Avatar
    The scout

    One of the ways to at lease top the increase in chicken is to down the price of gas, both diesel and gasoline. St Vincent just lowered their prices today. We must also remember that there was/is some bad blood between Min.Benn and James Paul. It is believed that Paul oused Benn from the position on CEO of the BAS. Both, were expected to get the job of Min of Agriculture. However, they must put their differences apart and work in the interest of the country. Mr. Paul sounded a bit uncertain on the news tonight on CBC.

  2. Hopi Avatar
    Hopi

    David….
    Some clarity needed here on my part. “Many of our farmers are slaves to the supermarkets to supply products.”

    However, the public need not sit on their hands and knees and wait on the government to do anything about their food supply. Barbados has been blessed with enough arable land and sea to feed her people. Should there be some natural or man-made disaster which seems highly probable given the time we’re living in, will Bajans perish because the lousy governing bodies refused to do their jobs? Stop waiting on the pen-striped prostitutes to do for you, what comes natural to every other creature on this planet. Feed yourself. Get a peice of land or your backyard, plant some food, share it with your neighbors and store some away. Stop relying on these jokers. They have mandates from their “god” hence they act in accordance. Mon Dieu!mon dieu! why does the public give their power away? Methinks its because they are “highly educated!”

  3. David Avatar
    David

    @Hopi

    All we meant is the farmers in Barbados depend on the supermarkets to unload their produce. Given the consolidation of ownership of which a significant percentage is Neal & Massy we believe that Barbados is too expose to the influence of one entity.

    On you other point that Barbadians should grow stuff, we agree but that is too adhoc. What we need is a good structure that protects our farmers to ensure consistent production/sustainability.

  4. Rumplestilskin Avatar
    Rumplestilskin

    Timely article for a reminder.

    For over two years, posters at BFP have been pushing the agenda to improve local agricultural produce, with reduced dependency on foreign imports.

    The oil crises and now the crisis in the financial markets are both major wake up calls, if one was not awake already.

    We do need to produce more locally, saving land for this use, as the alternate for building monstrous houses to show off.

    We have gotten so gullible as to think this lifestyle is sustainable.

    It is not and the crash will come.

    Peace & Live Strong.

  5. The scout Avatar
    The scout

    Every now and again I hear the call to produce more, keep more land for agriculture.These slogans sound good but let us examine them closer. There is the problem of praedial larceny which is still on the increase. There is the problem where big supplier have the contracts with supermarkets and hotels, after arranging with them what you’re planting and when ,at harvest they would tell you a large shipment was brought in and the price offered cannot cover your expenses.Then there is the problem of monkeys raiding the crops and almost every crop is now attacked by these animals. On many occasions,it was better for me to plough up with produce in the ground, after giving away some. There are making sport at agriculture. The final problem is that Min Benn and M.P James Paul have different agendas and neither one will submit to the other.

  6. Deng Xiaping Avatar
    Deng Xiaping

    “Grow your own” someone said.

    “Nonsense” said everbody else.

  7. Hopi Avatar
    Hopi

    David….
    Clarity received. But what is so adhoc about growing your own food? In your statement of Neal & Massey and consolidation you’ve proven my point as to why you should grow your own food and trade with your neighbors. What’s gonna happen when you don’t have fuel to fill your vehicle to get to Neal & Massey? You’ll still have your neighbours.

    Deng Xiaping….
    Are you included in that “everybody else?” Are you saying that we can use you as the middleman/wo. and import our food from China?

  8. Carson C. Cadogan Avatar
    Carson C. Cadogan

    How is it that chicken prices are only increasing in Barbados?

    Not in Antigua, Dominica, St. Lucia, Trinidad, Guyana, St. vincent.

    Do they feed their chickens on air which has no cost?

    No company is increasing the feed inputs for these countries only for Barbados?

  9. The People's Democratic Congress Avatar
    The People’s Democratic Congress

    To: Fellow bloggers and commentators

    From: The People’s Democratic Congress (PDC)

    We in PDC must reiterate that it is NOT so much the significant quantity of imports coming into Barbados – and we would like to think that our country needs to have far more imports coming into it as it becomes more developed in the long term – BUT it is more so the question of the value – in Barbados dollars – of the total quantity of goods and services – including food imports – that comes into the country on an annual basis, that must be being seriously examined, and the right prescriptions proposed for alleviating the myriad problems that arise from our importing these “prices” of goods and services from overseas into Barbados, that altogether must take centre stage in any attempt to make sure that Barbados does NOT continue suffering the worst from serious external shocks being felt upon it at any stage.

    The Annual Statistical Digest 2007 of the Central Bank of Barbados, tells us – the public – that in 2006, Barbados imported BDS $ 3 172 Million in goods and services, and that – 5 yrs prior to that – it was BDS $ 2137.3 Million in goods and services imported into the country.

    Moreover, whilst we continue to undergo political economic financial recession in our country at this stage, and therefore this we will see a definite reduction in the value of imports into Barbados dollars, and therefore also in the quantity of imports into the country, the fact remains that when people, businesses and other entities bring into the country the “prices” of goods and services of other countries – and esp. those that are far bigger and stronger than we are – we will continue putting ourselves in very precarious material and financial positions or continue exposing ourselves to serious financial and material production risks, whether in times of material and financial expansion or contraction.

    Therefore, in view of the fact that Barbados needs to continue importing many goods and services – primarily because, et al, we are without many natural and mineral resources, and because we are without a really substantial industrial/manufacturing base, and because of our having so many comparative disadvantages in trade, we in PDC would have had no other alternative but to devise strategies that a future PDC Government shall put in place that will NOT ONLY help bring about the greater autonomization of the social, political, financial, and material and distribution affairs of the country from those decisions that are taken at the international or regional levels and that often lead to our unduly suffering from many of the worst effects of imbalances in international currency, trade, investment, social and politiccal relationships, BUT that will ALSO help us to continue exploiting or to begin exploiting – more or less – the advantages that can be secured from Barbados’ already having social, political, trading, incestment and financial relationships with many other countries across the world.

    Thus, that is why a future PDC Government will, et al, do the following:

    1) Abolish Taxation;

    2) Abolish Interest Rates;

    3) Abolish Motor Vehicle Insurance;

    4) Make Institutional Loans for Productive Purposes Non-Repayable;

    5) Make sure that ALL imports of goods and services are Zero-“priced” at all points of entry;

    6) Make sure that Exports of goods and services are paid for in local currency/”prices”; and,

    7) Make sure that ALL Exchange Rates Parities with the Barbados Dollar are Abolished.

    Hence, those and more strategies we will implement – at that time of our being in government – to make sure that the Balance of Payments positions of Barbados will be better secured than now.

    PDC

  10. Global Voices Online » Barbados: Food Security

    […] plan to respond to short, medium and long-term demands of the agricultural industry”: Barbados Underground is concerned about food security. Posted by Janine Mendes-Franco  Print Version Share […]

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