the agriculturalist newspaper - may 2013

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By Athaliah Reynolds-Baker,

JIS Reporter

Veteran agriculturalist

Lenworth Fulton as-

sumed the role of ChiefExecutive Officer of the Rural

Agricultural Development Au-thority (RADA) since May 1.

Fulton who heads the Jamaica

4-H Clubs for 12 years was offi-cially welcomed to his new post

by Agriculture and Fisheries Min-ister Roger Clarke, during a press

briefing on April 24 at his Hope

Gardens offices in St. Andrew.Clarke said the new CEO is

quite knowledgeable about theinner workings of RADA, hav-

ing been a member of the board

for some time. He is in familiarterritory and I hope, and expect,

that he will bring to bear all the

expertise that he [has gained] at

4-H, he stated.The Minister said Fultons ap-

pointment also presents a grand

opportunity to establish a greater

linkage between the 4-H Clubsand RADA, in an effort to in-

crease youth involvement in theagricultural sector.

Fulton brings to RADA, a

wealth of experience in manage-ment, agriculture and economics.

He is a graduate of the JamaicaSchool of Agriculture, now Col-

lege of Agriculture, Science and

Education (CASE) and TuskegeeUniversity in the United States,

where he obtained a Diploma in

General Agriculture and a Bach-elor of Science in Economics, re-

spectively.Fulton replaces outgoing Acting

CEO of RADA, Harold Spauld-

ing, who retires at the end of thismonth and was confirmed in the

position in January after beingasked to steer the agency in the

wake of the dismissal of chief ex-

ecutive officer Al Powell, a yearago.

In the meantime, the Ministeralso announced the appointment

of five new members to the boardof RADA.

They are: President and Chief

Executive Officer, CaribbeanVibes Limited, Bevon Morrison;

Director of the Agricultural Mar-

keting Information Division,Ministry of Agriculture and Fish-

eries, Michael Pryce; Executive

Assistant to the Minister, NatalieJohnson; President, International

Community Institute, Valrie

Dixon; and Development Con-sultant, Janet Bedasee.

Minister Clarke said the newmembers will bring a wealth of

expertise to the agency. They

bring to the table different areasof expertise, but their commit-

ment towards the strengthening of

RADA is something that will be

brought to bear as we move for-ward, he stated.

Clarke informed that the ap-

pointments were necessary, asthere were a number of vacant po-

sitions on the board.

He further remarked that the ad-dition will bring balance to the

table, pointing out that of thefive new members, four are

women. He noted that an increase

in female and youth participationin the agricultural sector forms

part of the Ministrys thrust.

365-2054

VOL. 24 NO. 2 MAY 2013 FR EE WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM

Fulton heads RADA

LENWORTH FULTONChief Executive Officer, RADA

March AgainstMonsanto

By Connor Adams

The March Against Monsanto is a worldwide day of protest to

raise awareness of concerns regarding the company's products.

The event will sweep across the globe on Saturday, May 25,bringing like-minded individuals from all corners ofthe earth together

to draw attention to the issue of genetically modified and genetically

engineered crops and seeds. The March Against Monsanto is a world-

wide protest taking place Saturday, May 25. Continued on page 4


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2 THE AGRICULTURALIST MAY 2013 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM


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4 THE AGRICULTURALIS T MAY 2013 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COMNEWS

Aprobe has been launched into the

operations of Agro Invest Corpo-ration, the entity overseeing the es-tablishment of agro parks which form a

major plank of the Government of Ja-

maica's growth strategy.Roger Clarke, Minister of Agriculture,

said that the auditors have been called inas there is a suspicion of impropriety.

The spotlight was turned on Agro Invest

late last month after Audley Shaw, Oppo-sition Spokesman on Finance, urged the

Government to resolve issues affecting the

agro parks programme. Mr. Shaw, duringhis contribution to the Budget Debate, said

problems were developing at Agro Invest.He claimed that five persons had been dis-

missed from the entity and the implemen-

tation of agro parks was virtually indisarray.

The Minister of Agriculture has now

confirmed that all is not well at the entity.Some of the things that have been un-

earthed tend to tell you that somethingwasnt going well in terms of the adminis-

tration. We have called in the auditors and

they are checking on that now. I can justsay simply that even some of the assets of

the government cannot be found in thispoint in time, said Mr. Clarke.

He said the agro parks programme is

being reorganised in order to speed up itsimplementation.

The Government is expecting J$1.1 bil-

lion dollars to flow to farmers before theend of this fiscal year as a result of activi-

ties on the first five of nine proposed agroparks to be established across the island.

JAS and Digicel Sign $30 M Sponsorship DealMarch Against

MonsantoContinued from page 1

Monsanto has come under increasing fire

from food advocacy and consumer safety

groups in recent months, as the company

has been in the public eye, particularly as

controversy raged in March over the so-

called Monsanto Protection Act, a bit of

policy inserted into the HR 933 spending

bill that granted the company increased

protection from legal challenges. The pro-

vision was signed into law in late March

by President Barack Obama

The figurative jury is still out on

whether or not genetically modified and

genetically engineered foods have nega-

tive health impacts on humans, but sup-

porters of GMO labeling point to studies

showing potential risks ranging from kid-

ney and liver damage to reproductive sys-

tem issues.

Those concerns are in large part driving

citizens around the world to protest the

company on Saturday.

The March Against Monsanto eventscome at a time of renewed scrutiny of

Monsanto and the GMO industry in gen-

eral, as awareness grows about an amend-

ment inserted into the 2013 Farm Bill

passed by the House of Representatives'

Agriculture Committee Wednesday.

Food advocates warn that the provision

would revoke the ability of individual

states' lawmakers to pass GMO-labeling

laws.

The Jamaica Agricultural

Society (JAS) andtelecommunications giant,

Digicel, on Monday, May 20,signed a $30 million contract toprovide support for the Denbigh

Agricultural Industrial and FoodShow over the next three years.

Speaking at the signing event

held at Digicels downtownKingston headquarters, JAS Pres-

ident, Senator Norman Grant,commended the company on thepartnership, which started 12

years ago."We are very excited about this

sponsorship, which we see as

strategic, and is a perfect fit, be-cause technology is going to help

to boost and move agriculture.The way we communicate amongour 230,000 farmers, is signifi-

cant, and this signals the deepen-ing of the relationship between

Digicel and the agricultural sectoras a wholewe are going to usethis opportunity to ensure that we

move agriculture in Jamaica to thenext level, he stated.

Senator Grant said the JAS isseeking to diversify the Denbighshow, which started some 61

years ago.We are going to be going all

out to make this exciting product

the very best, he remarked. Theagreement represents $4 million

in cash value, and the remainderin marketing and promotionalsupport, including social media,

text promotion, mini board adver-tising, and signage for the showover the three years.

Sponsorship Manager for Digicel Jamaica, Tanida Nunes,presents President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society(JAS), Senator Norman Grant, with a representationalcheque for $30 million, signaling the telecommunicationscompany support for the Denbigh Agricultural Industrial andFood Show over the next three years.

Clarke to Probe Agro Invest Corporation


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WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM MAY 2013 THE AGRICULTURALIST 5

NEWS

The Ministry of

Agriculture andFisheries, on Thurs-

day, May 9, signed an

agreement with CaribbeanBroilers to immediately

put 800 acres of land intosorghum production, at

Amity Hall in St. Cather-

ine.Planting began on Thurs-

day under the project,

which is among the firstinitiatives being under-

taken in the establishmentof the Ministrys flagship

Agro Parks concept.

Speaking at the signing

and post-Sectoral pressbriefing at the MinistrysHope Gardens location,

portfolio Minister, Hon.

Roger Clarke, said the col-laboration came about

after observing Caribbean

Broilers successful culti-vation of sorghum. The

company also neededmore land for production.

"The opportunity pre-

sented itself and we canprovide some of those

lands. Over the past few

weeks, we have done quitea lot of land preparation in

readiness for their begin-ning to sow the seeds al-

most immediately, he

explained.This is going to be a

real fillip to our being ableto substitute some of that

US$300 million that we

spend to bring ingrainsthis is going to be

able to make a dent in

that, Mr. Clarke asserted.Sorghum is one of a nu-

merous species of grasses,which is raised for grain

and many of which are

used as fodder plants.Basic infrastructure will

be put in by the Ministry,

such as drainage and irri-gation, with the land being

leased by Agro Invest Cor-poration, an agency of the

Ministry.

The Ministry will be im-plementing nine agro

parks over the next three

years at a cost of US$8million. The parks will

contribute to employment;increase agricultural out-

put; reduce the national

food import bill, and stim-

ulate food exports.

The project is beingfunded in part by the Euro-

pean Union, with the Agro

Investment Corporationand the National Irrigation

Commission providing in-

frastructure developmentand irrigation facilities, re-

spectively.Among the crops being

contemplated for produc-

tion include some 1,700acres of sorghum to reduce

grain imports for animal

feed, which is currentlyunderway.

Some 689 acres ofonions are to be planted

shortly, to reduce the im-

port bill for onions by ap-proximately 45 per cent.

Additionally, 550 acres oflegumes, vegetables, tu-

bers and condiments willbe cultivated.

In his contribution to the

2013/14 Sectoral Debate

in the House of Represen-tatives on May 8, Minister

Clarke noted that signifi-cant production activities

are already taking place at

New Forest/Duff Houseand Yallahs, as two new ir-

rigation schemes have

been completed for theseareas.

The value that theseagro parks will add is to

orientate production to de-

fined markets by linkingexisting farmers to private

sector buyers. This work iscurrently being done, and

therefore, for all intents

and purposes, these twoagro parks will come on

stream this year, Mr.

Clarke said.Agro Parks, targeted

specifically at import sub-stitution, are being devel-

oped through a tri-partite

partnership involving theGovernment, farmer/in-

vestors, and the private

sector.

Opposition spokesman on agri-

culture, JC Hutchinson has

criticised Agriculture Minis-

ter Roger Clarke for offering "nothingnew" in his recent sectoral debate con-

tribution.

"I was really expecting him to pres-

ent projects or programmes that were

not a carry over from the JLP (Ja-

maica Labour Party) Government,"

Hutchinson told the House of Repre-

sentatives Wednesday as he made hiscontribution to the debate.

"All the projects-- Irish potato, gin-

ger, turmeric, irrigation, sugar hous-

ing, Agro Parks, small ruminant,

fisheries --are all continuing projects

from either the former PNP (People's

National Party) Government or the

former JLP government. I congratu-

late him for continuing these projects,

but I was hoping for something more,"Hutchinson said.

He also accused the Government of

introducing counter-productive taxes,

which were inhibiting the growth po-

tential of the agricultural sector. He

said that General Consumption Tax

(GCT) and customs duties for agricul-

tural items have curtailed the ability

of farmers to access agricultural in-puts.

"The GCT and fees collected at theport, are much less than the foreign

exchange that would be earned and

the added production that would be

achieved, if they were removed,"

Hutchinson said.

He said that if recent increases inproperty taxes could not be delayed,

as the Opposition had demanded, the

Government should be implemented

over a five-year period.

Clarke offered nothing newHutchinson

JC HUTCHINSON

Agriculture MinistrySigns Agreement for

800 Acres of Sorghum

ROGER CLARKE


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6 THE AGRICULTURALIST MAY 2013 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COMNEWS

The Spring Village DevelopmentFoundation, in St Catherine, was vis-

ited recently by Governor General

Patrick Allen and Lady Allen who presenteda $200,000 cheque to assist with the com-pletion of its I Believe Spring Village

Health Clinic. Spring Village was desig-nated last year as a "model for communitydevelopment" by the governor general's 'IBelieve Initiative'.

In addressing representatives of the com-munity and major sponsor of the founda-tion, the Jamaica Broilers Group - led by itschairman, Robert Levy - the governor gen-

eral commended the company for its sup-port of the projects carried out by the SpringVillage Foundation. "Jamaica Broilers not

only operates its Best Dressed Chicken pro-cessing plant in the area, but the companygives back to the community," he said.

In his remarks, executive director of theSpring Village Foundation, Randy Finnikin,said since the launch of the foundation 15years ago, the Jamaica Broilers Group hasbeen a consistent supporter of its pro-

grammes to empower residents. "The Ja-maica Broilers Group has been there for usfrom the beginning, until today with thishealth clinic," Finnikin said.

He noted that the governor general's I Be-lieve Initiative has also provided the SpringVillage Foundation complex with free Wi-

Fi access to benefit residents in the HumanEmployment And Resource Training

(HEART) Trust training programmes, after-

work and homework assistance, as well asto provide support for parenting and youth-empowerment sessions. In addition,

Finnkin said last year, the I Believe Initia-tive sponsored a Mr and Miss Spring Vil-lage pageant which engenderedcamaraderie among members of the com-

munity, and a parenting forum early thisyear.

The health clinic was primarily financedand constructed by a team of missionaries

from the Jamaica Missions of Minnesota,USA, who are experts in various areas ofthe construction industry. They workedmore than three months to convert four 40ft

containers into a useable space, comprisingthree examination rooms, a dental room,medical personnel offices, drug storeroom,a laboratory, a waiting room and a ramp for

wheelchair access.

The health centre was scheduled to beopened on May 1 and will be operated in

collaboration with the St Catherine HealthDepartment, which will provide the medicalpersonnel.

"This new clinic will have state-of-the-art

equipment to provide top-class, full-servicecare in mental, physical and dental healthon an ongoing basis. Our strategy is that asthe programme grows, residents who are in-

terested in learning skills in the medicalfield will be trained to support the servicesbeing offered at the facility," Finnikin said.

GG's 'I Believe' Gives $200,000

To Spring Village Clinic

BIG FEEDS GUYS:Technical field offiers of Nutramix Feeds (l-r) Balford Thomas, Patrick Fair-

weather and Ashley Huie pose for the camera at the recent St. Mary Agri ExpoShow held in Annotto Bay, St. Mary.


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The agricultural sector and in particular the

coconut industry has lost a true icon. Dr.

Richard Jones, a Veterinarian by profession,

joined the Coconut Industry Board as a Director in

1981. He first served as Chairman of the Board

during the period 1989 to 2007 and 2009 until his

passing on Marh 31, 2013.

Dr. Jones was a champion of the small farmer

and in his quiet, unassuming way he would spear-

head and drive initiatives that would seek to in-

crease the income earning potential and growth of

the farmer.

He was instrumental in the introduction of the

planting programmes under which coconut

seedlings, fertilizer and a weed control grant were

given by the Board to registered coconut growers.

Dr. Jones worked tirelessly and was always seek-

ing ways to improve the production of coconut in

the country. He felt that research was a vehicle

which could achieve this.

Under his chairmanship, work was done with the

University of the West Indies on the tissue culture

of coconuts and extensive research done on lethal

yellowing disease, in collaboration with the Com-

mon Fund for Commodities under the project en-

titled Sustainable Coconut Production throughcontrol of Coconut Lethal Yellowing.

How do you measure the stature of a man

Is it the food he eats or the friends he keeps

Is it the things he possesses or the colour of his skin

Its the legacy he leaves behind, the trails be

blazed, the standards that he set

That set him apart from the rest

COCONUT INDUSTRY BOARD18 Waterloo Road, Kingston 10

The Coconut Industry Salutes Dr. Richard A. Jones

DR RICHARDS JONES

NATIONAL IRRIGATION COMMISSION LIMITED

Making the Difference in Agriculture

The Board, Management and Staff of theNational Irrigation Commission Limited wishes to recognise the sterling contribution

of the late Dr. Richard Jones to the agricultural community during his career as

a veterinarian, farmer and scientist. His contribution to the coconut industry has laidthe foundation for future developments in the agricultural sector. In supporting this rich legacy,the National Irrigation Commission Limited remains committed to providing effective and efficient

irrigation services to our farmers for the further development of Jamaicas Agricultural Sector.

National Irrigation Commission Limited191 Old Hope Road, Kingston 6Tel.: (876) 977-4022/6727/6624

Fax: (876) 927-2696E-mail: [email protected]

Web-site: www.nicjamaica.com


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The management and staff atFred M . Jones Estate wishesto honor the legacyofDR. RICHARD JONES

The late Dr. Jones shall be remembered as an

extraordinary contributor to the develop-

ment of agriculture as he left an indelible

mark in numerous industries within the sector. De-

scribed as a man with extreme work ethic, as-

tounding kindness and humanitarian ideals much

gratitude is to be shown to his outstanding service

and contribution to Jamaican agriculture. His port-

folio included positions as Chairman of the Golden

Grove Sugar Company, Chairman and CEO of

Fred M. Jones Estate and Williamsfield Estate,

Chairman of the Coconut Industry Board, Vice

Chairman and Director at Seprod group of compa-

nies, Operator at Duckenfield factory as well as a

leading private farmer in cane and cattle. His char-

acter has influenced a vast number of people as

many bonds were formed within the agricultural

community in which he participated in for more

than 20 years and other close friends and familykeep his memory deeply embedded in their hearts.

To live in hearts we leave behind is not to die,

-Thomas Campbell

FRED M. JONES ESTATEHordley Cross Roads,

Golden Grove P.O. St. Thomas

9822744

A GIANT OF THESUGAR INDUSTRY

The Sugar Industry Authority takes this opportunity to salute a

giant of the Sugar Industry.

It is not widely known that Dr. Richard Jones was, in fact, for

many years the largest cane farmer in Jamaica and had become a

director of the Golden Grove Sugar Factory.

This mild mannered, well-loved Jamaican, up to a few weeks be-

fore his passing was still pursuing pressing issues in the

interest of the industry.

We shall miss him and his wise counsel and would wish to extend

condolences to his family.

SUGAR INDUSTRY AUTHORITY

By Alessandro Boyd

Courtesy of the Gleaner

Jamaica has lost an important icon

in its agricultural sector with

March 31 death of Dr Richard

Jones. He was 73.

Jones held a number of positions

throughout the agricultural community

such as board chairman of the Golden

Grove Sugar Company, chairman of

the Fred M. Jones Estate and operator

of the Duckenfield factory.

Dr Karl Wellington, a director of theJamaica Livestock Association who

knew Jones for more than 50 years,

stressed the important role he played in

the agricultural industry.

"He has made an outstanding contri-

bution to Jamaica's agriculture. I per-

sonally recognise him as one of the

leading cattle breeders in Jamaica start-

ing from the youthful days when he

represented Jamaica in cattle judging

at the royal agriculture show in Eng-

land. He also served as a judge at the

National Denbigh Show almost every

year," Wellington told The Gleaner.

He also noted that Jones was one of

the most faithful and reliable members

of the Jamaican Red Poll Cattle Breed-ers Society.

"Apart from the cattle business with

which I was so closely associated, he

was also chairman of the Coconut

Growers' Association and one of the

largest private cane farmers in Ja-

maica. He has done something excel-

lent for agriculture commercially in

Jamaica. We have to give thanks for

his service and the friendship that we

shared," Wellington said.

Nicholas Jones also commented on

the kindness of his uncle (Richard

Jones) and the pivotal role he played in

his life."He was a very generous person,

quick-witted, kind, gracious and had

the ability to laugh at all times, even at

himself. He was also a great judge of

livestock and was someone who had

learnt to be in sync with the timeliness

that is involved with agriculture,"

Nicholas said.

DR RICHARD JONESGenerous, Quick-Witted, Kind, Gracious

The late

Dr Richard Jones

He was 73.


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10 THE AGRICULTURALIST MAY 2013 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COMINTERNATIONAL NEWS

By Emilio Godoy

MEXICO CITY (IPS) -

The Food and Agriculture Or-

ganisations recommenda-tion to consider using edible

insects as a food source to combat

hunger may have particular reper-

cussions in Colombia and Mexico,

two Latin American countries thathave a tradition of eating insects

and a high degree of biodiversity.

Mexico has 300 edible insect

species, according to a study pub-

lished in May by the entomology

department of Wageningen Uni-

versity in the Netherlands and the

Food and Agriculture Organisation

of the United Nations (FAO), titled

Edible insects: Future prospects

for food and feed security.

But local researchers have iden-tified more than 500 species in the

centre, south and southeast of Mex-

ico, a mega-biodiverse country

with a poverty rate of 47 percent.

Insects are a viable, cheap

source of high quality food that

could be even better than the pack-

aged foods that are consumed at

present, researcher Julieta Ramos-

Elorduy, at the National Au-

tonomous University of Mexicos

Biology Institute, told IPS.In her view, This country is

ready for mass consumption of in-

sects, but people need education

about techniques and ways of mar-

keting them. Protecting them is not

a concern. There are no official

measures, said the expert, who

has been carrying out research

since the 1970s on the benefits of

insects, and has reported 549 edi-

ble species.The issue acquires an environ-

mental dimension, particularly on

International Day for Biological

Diversity, celebrated this Wednes-

day May 22.

Eating insects or entomophagy is

an indigenous tradition in Mexico,

attested to by the Florentine Codex,

written by Franciscan friar

Bernardino de Sahagn (1499-

1590) who described the consump-

tion of 96 species.

Some insects provide up to three

times more protein, weight for

weight, than beef, and their nutri-

ent concentrations are surpassedonly by fish, according to the Na-

tional Commission for Knowledge

and Use of BiodiversityThe Mexican insect menu is

made up of blood-sucking bugs,

worms, beetles, butterflies, ant and

fly larvae, bees, wasps and cha-

pulin grasshoppers. They can be

grilled, fried or served with differ-

ent kinds of sauces.

In recent decades, several of

these delicacies have vaulted from

kitchens in poor rural homes to ta-

bles in fancy restaurants.In Mitla, a town close to a Za-

potec archaeological site of the

same name in the southern state of

Oaxaca, a small business uses

moth larvae (Hypopta agavis) that

feed on American aloe leaves to

make a hot spicy salt to accompany

mescal, an alcoholic drink distilled

from the same aloe plant.

We follow a homemade recipe.

Grinding is done by hand and we

use a hand mixer. We also packageby hand, Diana Corona, the com-

mercial manager of the firm Gran

Mitla which produces 300 kilo-

grams of sal de gusano (larva

salt) a month, told IPS.

It takes 300 grams of ground lar-

vae, 300 grams of dry chili peppers

and 400 grams of salt to produce

one kilo.The larvae or worms are col-

lected from August to October and

frozen to ensure continuous pro-duction, as from November to the

following May harvesting is

banned throughout the country.

The FAO publication says that

more than 1,900 species are part of

the traditional diets of at least two

billion people worldwide. The

favourites are beetles, caterpillars,

bees, wasps, ants, grasshoppers, lo-

custs and crickets.

Collecting and farming insects

could create jobs and income, andcould have industrial-scale poten-

tial, the authors say.

By Patricia Grogg

HAVANA (IPS) - When GabrielaBlanco tells other Cubans that

she works in an organic veg-etable cooperative and is getting

ready to study agronomy at the

university, she gets surprisedlooks.

She is not sure where her voca-

tion came from, but she doesknow that this is what she wants

to do. In Cuba, which is seekingto boost agricultural yields, there

is a scarcity of young people

working in the sector.

Blanco, a petite 20-year-old,

dropped her math studies aftertwo years to try her hand at the

Vivero Alamar, a successful agri-cultural cooperative in Havana

that operates as a Basic Unit of

Cooperative Production.I began working here in Sep-

tember 2012; in three months

they made me a member of thecooperative. I realised that I re-

ally like it and I want to stayhere. The agricultural sector has

lots of possibilities and many

fields of investigation; its a very

interesting and lovely experi-

ence, she told IPS.Mercedes Cepero, 18, has had

a similar experience, althoughshe came to this cooperative to

fulfil her professional training re-

quirement as an agronomy tech-nician. Ive passed the student

stage, and now I have to get

trained and learn as a worker. Iused to think that agronomy was

just working with a hoe in thesun, but I was wrong, she told

IPS.

Cuban Agriculture Needs Young PeopleInsects, from Delicacy

to Tool against Hunger

Toasted grasshoppers on sale in the Benito Jurez market inthe capital of Oaxaca state, Mexico. Credit: Nsaum75


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AgroFest 2013 sets for May 25

Plans are in high gear for

the staging of the annual

agricultural and industrial

show, 'Agrofest' scheduled to be

held on Saturday, May 25 on the

Jamaica College Grounds on

Old Hope Road, Kingston 6.

The annual parish agricultural

and food show features agricul-

tural and horticultural exhibits

from Kingston and St Andrew.

This year's show will also fea-

ture a farmers' market, farm

queen competition, Guards-

man's canine display, mounted

police, kiddies' village and a va-

riety of entertainment for the

whole family.

"These are all signs that tell us

that while there are challenges,

the exciting opportunities in

agriculture and the ability to

provide linkages with tourism,

manufacturing and the export

sector can realise real growth

for the Jamaican economy," he

told Saturday's launch of the17th staging of AgroFest 2013

at the JAS head office, Church

Street in downtown Kingston.

He said that agriculture is the

"life blood" of Jamaica's eco-

nomic development, and pre-

dicted that with the support

being provided in the 2013/14

budget for the Ministry of Agri-

culture, Jamaica can start a

meaningful journey to becom-

ing "the place of choice to live

do business and raise families ".

Kingston and St Andrew As-

sociation of JAS Branch Soci-eties in association with the

Ministry of Agriculture and

Fisheries, stages the annual

Agricultural and Industrial

Show, 'Agrofest.'

Food import bill

could skyrocket

Jamaica's food import bill,

may be impacted once again

this year, by higher priced

wheat due to acts of nature.

The news came as a record

freeze in wheat growing areas

caused extensive crop damage and

this is expected to push prices

higher later this year.The coldest start ever to the

wheat-growing season in Kansas

and freezing weather across the

U.S. southern Great Plains are

compounding damage to U.S.

crops already hurt by last years

drought, which was the worst

since the 1930s.

Norman Grant

JAS President

There is evidence that, especially

in recent years, poor smallholder

farmers are turning to agro forestry

as a means to adapt to the impacts

of climate change. The trees help to

mitigate the effects of climate

change by helping to stabilize ero-

sion, improving water and soil

quality and providing yields of

fruit, tea, coffee, oil, fodder and

medicinal products in addition to

their usual harvest.

Agro forestry is one of the most

widely used adaptation strategies.

It is an integrated approach of

using the interactive benefits from

combining trees and shrubs with

crops and/or livestock. It combinesagricultural and forestry technolo-

gies to create more diverse, pro-

ductive, profitable, healthy, and

sustainable land-use systems. A

narrow definition of agro forestry

is "trees on farms.

Plants under trees can still grow

well even though they get less

light. By having more than one

level of vegetation, it is possible to

get more photosynthesis than with

a single layer. Agro forestry has a

lot in common with intercropping.

Both have two or more plant

species (such as nitrogen fixing

plants) in close interaction both

provide multiple outputs, as a con-

sequence, higher overall yields

and, because a single application or

input is shared, costs are reduced.

Beyond these, there are gains

specific to agro forestry.

Agro forestry systems can be ad-

vantageous over conventional agri-

cultural, and forest production

methods.

They can offer increased produc-

tivity, economic benefits, and more

diversity in the ecological goods

and services provided.

Biodiversity in agro forestry sys-

tems is typically higher than in

conventional agricultural systems.

With two or more interacting

plant species in a given land area, itcreates a more complex habitat that

can support a wider variety of

birds, insects, and other animals.

Depending upon the application,

potential impacts of agro forestry

can include:

Reducing poverty through in-

creased production of wood and

other tree products for home con-

sumption and sale

Contributing to food security by

restoring the soil fertility for food

crops

Cleaner water through reduced

nutrient and soil runoff

Countering global warming and

the risk of hunger by increasing the

number of drought-resistant trees

and the subsequent production offruit

Reducing deforestation and pres-

sure on woodlands by providing

farm-grown fuel wood

Reducing or eliminating the need

for toxic chemicals

Through more diverse farm out-

puts, improved human nutrition in

situations where people have lim-

ited access to mainstream medi-

cines, providing growing space for

medicinal plants

Agro forestry practices may also

realize a number of other associ-

ated environmental goals, such as:

Carbon sequestration

Odour, dust, and noise reduction

Green space and visual aesthetics

Enhancement or maintenance of

wildlife habitat

Agro forestry is an opportunity

for farmers to protect their crops

and improve their yields while con-

tributing to the protection and care

of the environment.

If you are interested incorporat-

ing agro forestry techniques on

your farm, contact the Forestry De-

partment for technical information.

Agro Forestry-balancingFarms and Forests

A

s research continues to examine ways to combat the effects of

climate change, agro forestry is emerging as one of the methods

being used by farmers to reduce its impact on their crops.

_____________________________

Forestry Department

173 Constant Spring Road,

Kingston 8

Email: [email protected]

www.forestry.gov.jm


12/16


ECKLONIA KELP PLANT STIMULANT Kelp Plus Fish Emulsion Fertilizer

For more info and to order your products: Tel: 390-5382; 328-0027 or Email:[email protected]

The Veterinary ServicesDivision of the Ministryof Agriculture and Fish-

eries has been informed by theManagement of Hi-Pro FeedMills that they have issued a re-

call of the following batches ofhorse feed.1) Feed Type: 9726-2 STABLE

CHOICE WITH OATS; Dateof Manufacture: April 24, 2013;Batch No 425

2) Feed Type: 9726-2 STA-BLE CHOICE; Date of Manu-

facture: May 6, 2013; Batch No079

Individuals who may have pur-chased any of the abovemen-tioned feed should immediately

stop using the feed and to makecontact with their feed supplier.

PESTICIDE TALK: (l-r) Pat Rose , T. Geddes Grant, NormanGrant, JAS president and Omer Thomas, agriculturalist at the re-cent St Mary Agri Expo held in Annotto Bay.

TECHNICALLY SPEAKING:Eric Williams, Hi Pro Feeds technical sales representative (4th l), Donald Robinson, RADA Man-chester manager 5th l) along with other technical staff at the Hi Pro booth at the recent St Mary AgriExpo held in Annotto Bay.

Hi-Pro Feed Mills issuesrecall of horse feed

The government of Jamaica is to make an an-nouncement soon regarding the divestment of the

Wallenford Coffee Factory. In his contribution to the

Sectoral Debate in Parliament on Wednesday, RogerClarke, Minister of Agriculture, said the government

was close to concluding an agreement with a privateentity for the divestment.

The divestment of Wallenford is a critical part of

governments strategy to bring new investments, ad-ditional working capital and market diversification.

We are at the cusp of concluding an agreement with

a private sector entity for the divestment of Wallen-ford. An announcement will be made in short order,

said Mr. Clarke.

He said the coffee sector suffered a setback lastyear with the outbreak of the leaf rust disease and

Hurricane Sandy which resulted in a decline in pro-duction.

Wallenford CoffeeFactory to be divested

Book your adverttoday.. 923-7471


13/16



14/16


Leptospirosis

in dogs

Leptospirosis is a disease caused by

spiral shaped bacteria called lep-

tospires. It occurs worldwide and

can affect humans as well as many wild

and domestic animals, including dogs and

cats, although infection in cats is rare).

The bacteria are spread through the urineof infected animals, which can get into

water or soil and can survive there for

weeks to months.

Humans and animals can become in-

fected through contact with this contami-

nated urine. The bacteria can enter the body

through skin, eyes, nose, or mouth, espe-

cially if the skin is broken from a cut or

scratch. Drinking contaminated water can

also cause infection.

If your pet has become infected, it most

likely came into contact with rat urine.

Your pet may have been drinking, or walk-

ing through contaminated water.

The clinical signs of leptospirosis vary

and are nonspecific. Sometimes pets do not

have any symptoms. Common clinicalsigns reported in dogs include fever, vom-

iting, abdominal pain, diarrhea, refusal to

eat, severe weakness and depression, stiff-

ness, or severe muscle pain. Generally

younger animals are more seriously af-

fected than older animals.

If you suspect your pet is infected, get

help immediately. The JSPCA can perform

tests to detect the presence of leptospirosis

in your pet, and will prescribe antibiotics.

The earlier treatment is begun the better

the chances of full and rapid recovery, and

any organ damage may be less severe.

General ConsiderationsConsult your vet when your pet has an

open wound. NEVER use Jeyes fluid or

other disinfectants on a dogs fur. These

are chemicals that burn like acid, and can

cause severe injury and intense pain.

On the road an animal is a traffic hazard,

and your pet may be injured by a vehicle.

Make sure you keep him on your property.

Train your pet with firmness and gentle-ness, and you will have a loyal protector.

Use praise and rewards, not punishments,

as your training tools, and never beat or

stone an animal, whether yours or anyone

elses. Cruelty is not only morally wrong,

it is against the law, and carries penalties!

Pet CareM

uch is being written, in this

newspaper and elsewhere, con-

cerning the loss-making Ja-maican pig/pork industry.

One such story Pork Pitfall: Re-

searchers lament plunging pork price,not

only captured the true state of the livestocksub-sector but also cited yet another studyconducted on the industry.

A number of such studies have be previ-

ously conducted still the industry remainsin near disastrous predicament.

The article highlighted the high price of

feed, high mortality rate among pre-wean-ers, and the inadequate conversion of pork

into differentiated products.These are also among the major chal-

lenges of the Jamaican agricultural sector.

An evaluation of the industry was done10 years ago which proposed an adoptable,

sustainable development plan for pig farm-ing that would, by a disciplined approach,

address the perennial problems facing the

industry.Prepared in October 2003 by the late Dr.

Aston S. Wood and a team knowledgeable

of pig production, the Development Planproposed an integrated approach to pig

management that would not only bringorder to the sector but also position the in-

dustry toward sustained profitability.

Solutions presented in the FAO spon-sored document, Development Plan for

an Integrated Pig/Pork Industry for the

Ministry of Agriculture (2003), amongother points, suggests, the registration of

pig growers and the rationalization of a re-liable sow herd population.

The establishment of a standardized hus-

bandry practice, carcass grading and qual-

ity standard.Growers would be grouped into breed-

ers, multipliers and finishing to facilitate

the proposed three-breed, three-way cross

breeding program.

Crossbreed (F1) sows show good moth-

ering ability and Three-way (F2) crossedfinishing pigs grow faster, reach market

weight sooner (higher daily gain), exhibitsuperior feed conversion (less feed) and

improvement in lean meat quality.

Also, the Wood plan recognizes the in-creasingly high cost of commercial feeds

(70% of production cost) and suggests the

development of better economic produc-tion rations either from conventional or

non conventional resources.Improveing the genetics of national

breeding stock and the establishment of a

standard breeding program in tandem withproper herd management is the road to fix-

ing the problem of high piglet/weaner mor-tality, low daily gain and poor feed

conversion of finisher pigs.

Stakeholders, including the Ministry ofAgriculture, need to study the Aston Wood

recommendations with a view to adapting

the stepwise procedures to methodicallyimprove productive performance and ,con-

sequently, the fortune of pig growers.A manual has already been developed

and published as a training guide into farm

management and record keeping, no needfor the Jamaica Pig Farmers Association

(JPFA) to reinvent the wheel.

--------------------------------------------------

Claude Wilson is the author of the bookletsHusbandry Tips for Caribbean Pig Farms and

Guide To Feeding & Management of Pigs

Look Out

For 2013

Book youradvert [email protected]

Fixing the problems of

Jamaican pig industry

ByClaude

[email protected]

1. Be present at farrowing.

2. Assist the sow only if it becomes neces-

sary.

3. Provide warmth of 27-32C (80-90F)

and ensure that piglets get the first milk of

the sow (colostrum).

4. Clip the needle teeth, cut navel cord andswab with a mild antiseptic (iodine). Ad-

minister 1cc of an iron supplement as the

piglets are usually born with low levels of

iron. Pigs should be weighing 1.4 kg (3 lbs)

at birth.

5. Mark the piglets according to the farms

system of identification.

6. Castrate males that will not be used in the

breeding programme at 14-21 days old.

7. Introduce a small quantity of Hi-Pro Pig

Starter as a creep feed at 14days old. Pig

should weigh 5.0 kg (11 lbs) at this stage.

8. Wean at 6 weeks. Target weight 9.0 kg

(20 lbs)

9. Vaccinate against Swine Erysipelas at 7

weeks.

General tips

The infection pressure or the level of dis-ease-causing organisms is relatively

high in the environment of a pig farm. Good

management will reduce both

the infectious and non-infectious agents of

disease.

In this case, the farmer should:

1. Feed regularly with good quality, well-

balanced Hi-Pro Feed.

2. Provide an adequate supply of cool, clean

drinking water.

3. Maintain proper sanitation in the environ-

ment of the pig house.

4. Reduce factors that cause stress.

5. Prevent overcrowding.

6. Reduce draftiness while providing good

air circulation within the pighouse.

Management of piglets

from birth to weaning

Jamaican Society for the

Prevention of Cruelty to Animal

929-0320: [email protected]

www.jspca.info


15/16


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the agriculturalist newspaper - may 2013

Documents