GECAFS/SANREM WORKSHOP June 16-17, 2005

Georgetown, Guyana

Ministry of Agriculture Perspectives

Jamaica

Joseph Lindsay

Major Environmental Issues

• Frequency of hurricanes• Storm surges and coastal erosion• Unpredictable rainfall• Frequency of flooding• Frequency of droughts• Fires-loss agriculture, bio-diversity• Increase incidence of soil salinization• Soil erosion and deforestation• Threat of the effects of pests/diseases: Viruses, CTV;

Lethal Yellowing,

Major Environmental Issues

• Loss of best agricultural lands to housing/infrastructure

• Reef destruction

• Loss of mangrove swamps to hotel, ports and roads and pollution

Agricultural Strategy 2005-2008

• Competitive Agricultural Sector– Ensure national food security– Expansion of agricultural products– Provision of raw materials for agro-industry– Investment of US$500m from Govt. and private

sector

Linkages

• Tourism-Agriculture-Linkages• -Targeting food production for tourism industry

hence market for > 4million • Eco-tourism• Youth in Agriculture• Poverty Alleviation• Rural development/Job creation/rural• Agro-industrial development

Priority Policy Objectives

• Competitiveness studies• Adopting commodity ‘industry approach• Reduction in environmental degradation and

increased reforestation/agro forestry• Improvement in watershed management• Fruit/Tree crop development-14 fruit tree crops• Organic Farming• Good Agricultural Practices• Improvement in irrigation

Priority

• Apiculture• Aquaculture• Small ruminant development• Biodiversity/improvement germplasm• Agricultural Health and Food Safety/Plant

Health Database• National Research Coordination Mechanism

Jamaican Collaborators

• Universities: UWI-UWICED, Geography, NCU; • CIDA-Forestry:agroforestry/Watershed• Planning Institute of Jamaica• FAO: Fruit Tree Crops• Jamaica Bauxite Institute-mining/degradation land

rehabilitation• National Council on Science and Technology• National Environment and Planning Agency• Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency

Management