GEISHA KOWLESSAR-ALONZO
There is already $200 million of private capital being invested in local agriculture and plans are afoot to increasingly use technology to both boost production and expand the range of produce grown in T&T.
Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat was upbeat as he explained that approval has been given for a number of green house projects that will give an impetus to climate smart agriculture.
The minister cited the recent completion of a $60 million investment by NOVO in a state-of-the-art, technology-driven, agroprocessing facility as a clear signal of private sector confidence.
“At this time we have about $200 million in private sector investments being undertaken- livestock; local duck; hatcheries, greenhouses, agro processing, parboiled rice, local dairy,”Rambharat said.
Further, he said, other investments such as Moruga Rice and the ANSA berry farm in Tobago also signalled the start of major investments in the sector.
The minister also assured that conventional small farmers will not be pushed out by these large investments.
He explained that many of these projects are aimed at the export markets and displacing the imported products used in local restaurants and food places as well in supermarkets.
These investments, Rambharat maintained, will make the sector more attractive to both the consumers and the investors.
“It is a win-win for our farmers,” he added.
However, Rambharat admitted that there will always be a percentage of imports on T&T’s plates and the risks associated with that.
Noting that is not unique to this country the Agriculture Minister said the challenge is to change T&T’s consumption patterns to improve health risk profiles.
Maximising land space
According to Rambharat his ministry has noted with concern, the limited development of greenhouses in T&T and the limited access to the ministry’s incentives for protected agriculture systems.
He explained that at present, the incentive for protected agriculture systems is designed to promote the establishment and management of new fully-enclosed greenhouses and new partially enclosed shade houses for the vegetable sector.
The ministry he explained has already conceptualized several projects in-line with recommendations from the report of the Roadmap to Recovery Committee focusing on productivity-oriented research and technology and the adoption of climate smart agriculture.
Rambharat said one such project is the establishment of four ten acre greenhouse parks on State land, capable of accommodating up to 25 entrepreneurs per park to encourage young farmers in particular to get into modern, climate-protected agriculture, while boosting production that goes into the supermarket and restaurant sectors.
Further, it is envisioned that each greenhouse park will cover 10 acres (approximately 435,600 square feet
or 40469 square metres) and each park may contain a mix of materials and technology to accommodate different types and scales of production.
Additionally, Rambharat said, the feasibility of using solar power as the major energy source for specific aspects of the parks is being considered.
Proposed locations are Chaguaramas, Lopinot/Bon Air, Chaguanas East and Talparo.
File picture: Dairy farmer Lennox Jobe is seen tying out his flock of sheep at his four-acre farm along the Mexico Road, Wallerfield.
Abraham-Diaz
On Government’s mega-farms which were set-up in the early 2000s, Rambharat said almost all of these parcels of land were never put into production.
Some were abandoned and some are farmed in sections by individual farmers.
The Agriculture Minister who hails from Enid Village, Rio Claro, a mainly farming and administrative town in South Eastern Trinidad said food security also remains a critical factor, especially as COVID-19 has revealed the vulnerabilities of many developing countries.
Rambharat said he is confident that even in the face of a pandemic, T&T is capable of feeding itself.
Much focus has been placed on agriculture with a $1.198 billion budgetary allocation exclusive a $500 million stimulus package.
In his last budget presentation Finance Minister Colm Imbert noted the relatively insignificant contribution the sector made, accounting for one per cent or less of the nation’s GDP.
The chief reason for the low contribution, he outlined, was a hesitance to renew State land leases and the fact that it was near impossible to be granted a new lease for agricultural land; two issues that have persisted for decades.
But Agriculture Minister Clarence Rambharat told the Business Guardian that Government’s policy is already bearing fruit.
He explained there continues to be steady progress to approve long outstanding renewals of State land leases.
According to the minister some of these families have been waiting for 60 years.
“On average the files which I take to Cabinet weekly for approval show that families have gone 20 to 30 years without a lease or the renewal of an expired lease.
“We are about to start the final phase of our digital transformation project to make our administration of State land seamless via technology and to increase accountability, oversight and our ability to respond to our clients,” Rambharat said.
He said the first task in dealing with State land was to clean-up problems with the distribution of leases and other title leases to former Caroni (1975) employees who were entitled to a lease of a two acre parcel of State land leases.
Further, Rambharat said his ministry has issued thousands of title documents up to the end of 2017 and thereafter, placed emphasis on the traditional State land leases.
The second area of attention, he said, is in the clean-up of the poor track record of paying subsidies and incentives to farmers and fisherfolk.
Rambharat said his ministry is now dealing with valid claims in a six to nine-month period, a reduction from five to six years in most cases.
He also noted that with digital transformation planned for this area, it is expected the wait time will be further reduced.
There has also been progress in agencies particularly Namdevco and the Agricultural Development Bank (ADB).
Namdevco, Rambharat explained, has done well with the farmers’ markets and even during the COVID-19 restrictions two additional markers were opened with a few more planned.
Also, the minister said, wholesale markets including the fish market continue to prosper.
Saying that the ADB has also done well in servicing farmers Rambharat told the Business Guardian that he continues to impress upon the board that there must be continuous improvement in customer service.
Ren Gopeesingh of Hunters United, left, and Minister of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Clarence Rambharat look at tomato plants to distribute during the Feed the Nation food drive-through hosted by Hunters United at Mohess Road, Penal, in August.
RISHI RAGOOONATH
But has the ADB and the extension offices of the ministry served their purpose?
The minister said the ADB has been” steady” but there is continuous need to improve service delivery.
Noting that the extension officers have receive a lot of criticism Rambharat maintained there are many dedicated officers.
“We are taking a fresh look at the role as we look at the role of Namdevco’s field officers and ADB’s officers. They visit the same farmers yet they do not collaborate. Technology is vital to collaboration, data sharing and the efficiency of data driven decision making,” Rambharat said.
And on whether there has been an increase in agriculture production over the last five years the minister said it’s well known that farmers are very secretive about their production data except “of course when there are flood claims or in to secure loans from ADB.”
However, he said data from Namdevco from various market and from farms and across the country have shown that there has been a consistent flow of produce in the last two years.
Of significance, Rambharat said, is that in the last five months from May 2021 Namdevco has purchased five million pounds of produce from just over 300 farmers to supply local veggie/fruit /chicken/eggs boxes to 41 MPs as part of COVID-19 relief.
According to the minister there has also been growth in short term crops and tree crop with an upsurge in citrus, avocado and breadfruit.
“We have not seen any shortages, shortfalls or price increases at the markets. It means that the farmers have been able to supply this new demand from Namdevco without having to interfere with supplies destined to the wholesale, municipal and farmers’ markets as well as the restaurant and supermarket sectors,” Rambharat ended.