Left: Dr Chelston Braithwaite, director general of the IICA. Right: Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton. - File photos

Western Bureau:

The private sector must play a critical role in order to aid and improve agricultural development in the Western Hemisphere.

That was the word from Dr Chelston W.D. Braithwaite, director general of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), during yesterday's private-sector dialogue at the Hemispheric Forum of Ministerial Delegates held at the Holiday Inn Sun Spree Resort in Montego Bay, St James.

"The private sector has a vast knowledge about management and planning," Braithwaite pointed out. "As part of a process of social responsibility, the private sector should work with Government (in order) to share this knowledge with farmers and producers in a programme of rural education."

Roles of private sector

According to Dr Braithwaite, the roles that the private sector can play in the effort to enhance the Western Hemisphere's food security include: the improvement of rural road networks and irrigation systems; provision of risk management services, especially agricultural insurance for farmers; strengthening of small and medium-sized agricultural processing and marketing infrastructure; providing support for the links between farmers and the food industry and tourism; and contribution to capacity development to improve the technical and business management competence of farmers.

"Over 50 per cent of the food that is produced in our hemisphere is produced by small family farms," Dr Braithwaite pointed out in his address to the private and public sector representatives and Caribbean Community (CARICOM) envoys at the forum.

"One of the most important responsibilities which we have in our efforts to promote food security, reduce poverty and reduce inequality in our hemisphere is how we link small farmers to the market. In this regard, there are roles for the public sector, the private sector and international organisations."

Agriculture minister concurs

Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton, in concurring with Braithwaite, said the private sector must be the main driver in Government's ability to develop the agricultural sector.

"In the Caribbean, we must overcome the traditional perception of agriculture as a welfare activity," he said in his address. "The private sector has to be at the table in forums such as this one … Jamaica intends to lead the charge in our meeting to secure for the private sector in the hemisphere, a permanent seat at the (discussion) table."

Yesterday's forum took place on the second day of the Week of Agriculture and Rural Life of the Americas, which is held every two years and is attended by delegations of agriculture representatives from 34 countries.

This year's meeting is hosted by Jamaica under the theme 'Building Capacity for Enhancing Food Security and Rural Life in the Americas'. The meeting highlights various methods employed by the attending delegates to boost agriculture in their respective countries.