OECS Commission recommends sound investments in Agriculture, to remain viable in OECS economies

​Speaking at the OECS Forum on Agriculture held in Saint Lucia on Friday March 10, 2017, Agricultural Economist with the OECS Commission, George Alcee suggested there is an urgent imperative to make sound investment in Agriculture, if it is to remain viable in OECS economies.
 
According to Alcee, without a major injection of capital, Agriculture will continue to flounder, with sub-optimal production, unsustainable farming practices, and dwindling revenues.
 
Sub-Regional Coordinator for the UN’s Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) in the Caribbean, Dr. Lystra Fletcher-Paul noted that the region’s Food Import Bill is US$4 billion per year, and 85 % of the food consumed in the Caribbean is imported from outside the region, including lots of processed foods and meats.
 
Dr. Fletcher-Paul surmised that since the loss of major revenue earners such as sugar and bananas, Caribbean Agriculture has struggled to regain its place as the major source of food for our populations, a source of rural employment, and a driver of economic growth.
 
Panellists and stakeholders in attendance made a very strong case for the introduction of Land Use Policy across the OECS, to stop the practice of agricultural lands being used for commercial and industrial development.
 
There was consensus on the view that Government needs to do more to create the enabling environment for Agriculture to thrive, through direct capital investment in the sector, the introduction of new technologies in agriculture, and the provision of fiscal incentives to spur growth.
 
Meanwhile, the OECS Commission Public Education Forum Series, dubbed Vini Koze – Kweyol for ‘Come Chat’, is taking aim at educating and informing the people of the OECS on the social, economic & political benefits of Integration. It is seeking to ensure citizen engagement and active participation in the regional integration process.
 
The Forum Series is part of the public education component of the Economic Integration and Trade Program of the OECS Region, funded by the 10th European Development Fund.
 
It is being produced by ElShaFord Productions on behalf of the OECS Commission. The series will be edited and broadcast across the OECS, and the Caribbean Diaspora in the UK, USA and Canada.