Raphael John-Lall
Agriculture entrepreneur and lead consultant at Tropical Agriculture Consultancy Services, Riyadh Mohammed, is optimistic that the agriculture sector will grow in 2024 despite the many challenges the sector faces.
“I am hopeful to see an increase in productivity and efficiency because of the development of infrastructure through the Palo Seco Agricultural Enterprises Company, an increased investment in community gardens and green market projects, further investment and development in coffee and coconut revitalisation, upgrades for the fishing industry and a better utilisation of the agri-processing facilities,” Mohammed told the Sunday Business Guardian.
“I do believe the sector’s performance will improve if the commitment of the public sector is as promised and mandated. To inform, monitor, report, and assess progress toward achieving decent work for all, accurate and timely financial and performance data are crucial,” he said.
Mohammed is a coconut farmer based in Gran Couva who holds an MBA from the University Bedfordshire in England and an MSc. in Tropical Animal Science and Production from the University of the West Indies (UWI). He has planted over 1,000 coconut trees in the Gran Couva and Siparia areas. He also cultivates fruit crops. avocadoes, mangoes, rough skin lemons and West Indian Limes.
He is also founder and President of the Real Agriculture T&T Farmers Group.
Last week, it was reported in the media that president of the Agricultural Society of T&T, Darryl Rampersad, warned the country to brace for higher prices of fruit and vegetables because of the dry season.
Mohammed also commented on the possibility of the increase in food prices.
“While I agree that a drop or a decrease in crop production would lend to higher food prices based on the supply and demand chain, I also want to note in the dry season a lot of agricultural produce is much more affordable for consumers. So, there are actually conflicting theories on the different factors that affect food prices. However, I do agree that the price of food is increasing regardless of the season.”
He spoke about how a strong agriculture sector and food security could boost other sectors of the economy and the national Gross Domestic Product (GDP).
“Food imports from foreign nations are less necessary when food is produced locally. It offers wholesome cuisine. It supplies raw ingredients to numerous manufacturing sectors, including the food processing industry. Agriculture-related goods make up a large portion of the region’s exports. Crops including bananas, cocoa, and rice are exported by a number of Caribbean nations to nations inside and outside the region.
“T&T specifically has room for export development, as we look towards building our value-added product database. Agriculture used to be a significant component of the region’s GDP. Not to mention, it brought in a lot of foreign cash. But things are drastically different now. Agriculture only contributes a minor share of GDP and generates a modest amount of foreign exchange in many regions. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) states that agriculture contributes between 7 and 17 percent of GDP in several Caribbean nations.”
Agriculture’s poor performance
Mohammed quoted from the Review of the Economy 2023 document found on the Ministry of Finance’s website, which shows that agriculture contribution to T&T’s GDP is just over 1 per cent.
That document states that agriculture, forestry and fishing sector registered a sharp contraction in real GDP of 17.8 per cent during the January to March 2023 period, which was nonetheless an improvement from the 25.5 per cent decline reported during the three-month period ending December 2022. The sector’s contribution to GDP marginally inched upwards to 1.1 percent from 1.0 percent during the review period of 2022 to 2023.
According to the Review of the Economy 2023 document, cocoa production declined significantly by 90 per cent to 8,5000 kilograms during the first half of fiscal 2023, from 85,000 kilograms during the first half of fiscal 2022.
It also gave statistics, which show that the live weight of broiler meat decreased by 4.1 per cent to 34,408 kilograms during the first two quarters of fiscal 2023 and the sale of live pigs declined by 6.9 per cent to 22,568 animals during the first two quarters of fiscal 2023, from 24,235 animals in the first two quarters of fiscal 2022.
The first half of fiscal 2023 registered a 22.9 per cent fall in the output of vegetables with 7,375 kilograms produced, down from the 9,564.4 kilograms produced during the first half of fiscal 2022, the Report also showed.
With regard to the employments levels, Mohammed again pointed to the Review of the Economy 2023 document which shows that the number of people engaged in the agriculture, forest, hunting, and fishing industry climbed by 9.4 per cent to 22,200 during the first quarter of calendar 2023 from 20,300 during the previous quarter, according to the most recent labour force data from the Central Statistical Office (CSO). This represents 3.9 per cent of T&T’s total employment in the most recent quarter.
Mohammed referred to statistics that show that for the 2o24 fiscal year, the Government allocated $1.442 billion to the agriculture sector, an increase of $112 million over the previous year’s $1.330 billion allocation in its attempt to bolster the agriculture sector.
“Apart from the aforementioned commitment of the Ministry of Agriculture, Land, and Fisheries Ministry, the Honourable Minister also provided an additional $400 million to the sector. This amount consisted of $150 million for infrastructure development via Palo Seco Agricultural Enterprises Ltd (PSAEL) and $250 million in incentives to farmers,” said Mohammed
Despite a larger allocation to the budget for agriculture this fiscal year, he said there are still many structural challenges to overcome.
“Economic systems’ paths are determined by a multitude of variables, including population dynamics, resource availability and productivity, producer and consumer behaviour and technological advancements. T&T is the second-biggest market in the English-speaking Caribbean for U.S. agricultural exports, at $368 million in 2021. There are several reasons that restrict domestic agricultural production, such as land availability and natural calamities like drought and flooding. Due of this, T&T is largely dependent on food imports, with the US accounting for 40 per cent of all food imports,” said the agricultural consultant.
Farmers’ challenges
Mohammed also listed some of the problems farmers face.
The issues encountered by subsistence and small-scale livestock farmers include:
1) Lack of tropical and well-adapted livestock species and genetics for breeding programmes;
2) The high cost of feed for monogastric animal production;
3) Lack of resources by the public sector to properly advise and train farmers in modern agricultural techniques, as well as to supply timely support services (like artificial insemination, embryo transfer);
4) Untimely distribution of land leases;
5) Poor management and planning for fodder production for the dry season for ruminant production;
6) Praedial larceny;
7) Lack of a well-coordinated marketing agency for livestock and livestock products;
8) Inaccurate data collection methods by data collecting organisations, hence a misrepresentation of the true potential of local agriculture; and
9) Lack of Policies for Wildlife farming (e.g. intensive agouti roduction).
He said for the food crop sector, some issues revolve around the severity of droughts and floods, overused and abused soils without adequate regenerative microbial investment, a loss of biodiversity due to monoculture practices, an overwhelming resistance of pests and diseases, lack of access to financing due to the high demands of financial institutions, improper access to roads, water and power to run basic production operations and polluted farmlands.
Finally, he gave recommendations of some of these problems can be resolved.
“Recommendations for these issues would include agile agrometeorology information sharing, a specific drive to cultivate the life within our tropical soils and an implemention in regenerative soil conservation methods, aarger and more meaningful investment in infrastructure in actual farming areas and consistent stakeholder meetings with the leaders who represent our sector.”