The fall in world oil prices coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic has exposed T&T's vulnerability and highlighted the acute food insecurity that exists. T&T's dependence on fluctuating world oil prices, emphasis on natural gas and the petrochemicals industry have become detrimental to the agriculture sector.
COVID-19 has given us a great opportunity to refocus and reinvent ourselves as we seek to prioritise the agriculture sector and put it in line to contribute to the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and as a valuable foreign exchange earner.
Over the years, there has been a lack of foresight in the agriculture sector and the pumping of taxpayers' monies to produce many failed plans.
The Government of Trinidad and Tobago has targeted the agriculture sector for economic diversification with planned investments and programmes, and this is commendable.
What we need now is the will to take urgent action to prevent a looming food crisis–we need relevant policies that are properly coordinated and strategic plans to support agribusiness and propel the industry forward.
T&T has a high commodity-import dependence in the face of a glaring exposure to acute food insecurity in scores of countries across the globe where lives and livelihoods are at risk from this pandemic.
Between 2011 and 2016 food imports totalled $32.7 billion (TT).
The contribution of the agricultural sector to the GDP in 2003 dipped below 1.0 per cent and has languished at below 0.5 per cent since 2012. Meanwhile, the sector only employs an estimated four per cent of the population.
However, the industry has been traditionally overlooked within the local economy, reflective of the general trend of low spending in the sector over the years.
Agriculture received just $446 million in budgetary allocations for 2017/18– just about one per cent of planned expenditures. The 2018/2019 allocation was $780 million, while the 2019/2020 allocation was $708. The highest allocation in the last ten years was $1.9 billion which was in 2011. The majority of the money allocated is used for recurrent expenditure while a minimal amount is spent on much-needed developmental programmes.
Agriculture, the backbone of developing countries, is a great source of livelihood, creating jobs for citizens, it can save billions spent on food imports as we feed our nation with home-grown produce, and it can make a significant contribution to national revenue and foreign exchange resources.
Suggestions for the recovery of the sector:
*Establish a five-member independent team–to investigate, recommend and implement a plan for food production. This team should report directly to the Office of the Prime Minister. The team will list all food items imported for local consumption, for the fast-food industry and for remanufacturing. Crops like tomatoes, sweet peppers, lettuce etc, can be produced by our local farmers.
*Draft legislation to incorporate CEPEP workers and Ministry of Agriculture extension officers–to establish a cohesive plan with all the legal and authorised holders of Caroni's two-acre plots and other registered farmers for a programme of production–chicken rearing, vegetable and ground provision, keeping a database to avoid national duplication thus resulting in a glut.
There must be crop rotation to keep adequate supplies to the end user.
CEPEP workers can be used to assist in the rehabilitation of abandoned estates. Low-risk prisoners can also be used in estate rehabilitation. This encourages them to participate in meaningful economic enterprises while they earn a small percentage of money which can be saved for their return to life outside of prison.
*Sugar production–We must have a sustainable source of sugar for local consumption, the prepackaging of brown sugar for the hotel industry and pre-packaged sachets can also be exported in the future if there is a surplus. This will help to cut our import bill by some $286 million as 2018 import figures have shown.
*Rice production–In 2018 T&T imported approximately $107 million or 19,853 tons of rice mainly from Guyana and Brazil. T&T has experienced farmers, arable land, equipment and machinery, and milling facility both private and state-owned. Also, we already have The Navet Lagoon Rice, Moruga Hill Rice and Island Grain on the market. We must pay particular attention to labour market shifts especially in Guyana which is moving towards the oil industry. If this shift is significant as per its labour force and investment in rice, we stand to suffer as a result of a shortage of the item, but we can also be proactive and use the opportunity to expand our local industry and to increase export.
*Pineapple production–We have been able to produce the sugarloaf pineapple at record levels; we now need to nurture this industry and provide farmers with equipment and technology to innovate and increase acreage and production to develop a market in local packaging of the said product and by-products for the export market. Liaise with an international pineapple manufacturer, eg Libby's, to work in tandem with locals to establish an internationally recognised label. The waste can be made into animal fodder and plant mulch.
*Cocoa production–T&T's national cocoa output has been affected by high labour costs, insecure land tenure, poor access road, no market to sell produce, low productivity. This crop has the potential for revenue earning generation in that the world shortage of cocoa especially our fine flavour beans is a hidden treasure waiting to be tapped for US dollar earnings. The longer we wait to achieve this, we will potentially lose out as countries such as Costa Rica, Ecuador, Guatemala and Ghana are coming on board with flavoured beans similar to ours. The production of cocoa cakes [blocks], grounded beans, cocoa fat and other by-products are ready for export markets. At this time there are cocoa producers who have the product in hand and no markets to sell to. The role of the Cocoa and Coffee Company must be expanded to assist farmers to secure markets locally and abroad.
*Herb plantation–There is a lot of potential for the production of medicinal plants and herbs. The Government can provide financial assistance and subsidies to interested persons to encourage the development of the industry for Ayurved, naturopathy and homeopathy. The production of scorpion peppers and hot peppers also has lots of potential.
*Floral market–We need to encourage these farmers to increase their production, expand the variety and locate international markets for them to export.
*Proper land security tenure–Fast-tracking of expired leases, re-energising abandoned estates, and assessing individuals who have been illegally occupying state land to regularise and bring under the purview of agricultural production.
*Retention ponds–Money must be allocated for retention ponds in the face of droughts, grave water shortage in the dry season. Detention ponds to avert flooding and millions of dollars in crop losses.
Coming together of the Ministry of Agriculture, UWI, ECIAF, NAMDEVCO and ADB. The latter, that is the ADB, must be the nucleus for this project to go forward and they have to be more FARMER FRIENDLY, the loan officers must be trained in the knowledge of farming and by extension, they must know their farmers' capacity to produce. Without the ADB as the key component, all will be lost. There have been complaints that the ADB has not been operating as a guiding facilitator but as a loan shark.
T&T can become a food-secure nation with the capacity to export, but the policymakers need to give the sector the respect and support that it deserves. There must be a commitment by the Government to provide subsidies to registered farmers, remove red tape in the business process as per purchase of vehicles (VAT rebate) etc, removal of VAT and taxes on all farming-related equipment and fertilisers, and computerisation of the system for efficiency.
Bindra K Maharaj
Businessman and farmer