Agriculture and Food Security
Towards a renaissance
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32
of agriculture
If there is one good thing to come from climate change, it will be a
radical rethink of agriculture and agro-processing and a shift towards
a “climate-smart” industry
Notwithstanding the work of the Vision
2020 agriculture sub-committee and
other attempts at articulating a vision of
a modern agricultural sector, the outlook
is less than positive
MARCH 2019 CHAMBER.ORG.TT
by Steve Maximay
Managing Director, Science-Based Initiatives
Y
ou could be forgiven for for thinking you have heard this talk about
diversification before. Successive, but by no means successful,
governments have touted diversification efforts, which included
agriculture as part of a magical restructuring of the Trinidad and Tobago
economy.
Early efforts were concentrated on producing more food to offset the
ever-increasing import bill and to bolster exports. Prior to the volatile food
price crisis of 2008-2009, the Trinidad and Tobago government’s idea of food
security revolved around “months of cover”, where the amount of foreign
exchange held in the Central Bank was divided by the monthly food import
bill to determine how many months of imports were achievable.
Once worldwide food prices and food availability returned to less
cataclysmic levels by 2010, the prioritising of substantial local production
became less important.
A review of agricultural trade statistics, local production data, pron-
ouncements by officials, and the heralded benefits of diversification, is
insufficient to explain the lack of success to date. It will take more than an
urgent need, worthwhile individual efforts, fledgling agro-industrial enterprises,
and a declining oil and gas sector to propel agriculture to equitable stature
within the local economy.
At the core of diversification is change, which is dependent on the
production of a “positive vision of the future”, which in turn evolves when
dissatisfaction with the status quo exceeds the natural human resistance to
change. It is safe to conclude that, notwithstanding the work of the Vision
2020 agriculture sub-committee and other attempts at articulating a vision of
a modern agricultural sector, the outlook is still less than positive.
Climate-smart agriculture
Previous attempts at diversification were ostensibly driven by economic
development, but the 2019 version must be circumscribed by climate concerns.
Diversification will not only be about change, but about climate change.
The United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC)
describes economic diversification as “the process of shifting an economy
away from a single income source toward multiple sources from a growing
range of sectors and markets”. Traditionally, it has been applied as a strategy
to encourage positive economic growth and development.
In the context of climate change adaptation, diversification takes on a new
relevance as a strategy to move away from vulnerable products, markets, and
CHAMBER.ORG.TT MARCH 2019 33
CHRIS ANDERSON
Bold New Economy
Local produce at the Arima market
The nascent local agriculture sector
will be predominantly a producer of
goods enhancing food security
34 MARCH 2019 CHAMBER.ORG.TT
Agriculture and Food Security
will provide the protein and vitamin components of the
NHATTALLI/SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
nutrition security project.
The devastating floods of 2018 and other
challenges including praedial larceny
and land availability will make business-
as-usual a very costly option
Skill-sets
There is an expanding reservoir of technical expertise
to service the climate-smart agriculture required for the
future. There are internationally recognised experts based
in Trinidad and Tobago. Prominent examples are: Erle
Rahaman-Noronha of Wa Samaki Ecosystems, Alpha Sennon of Whyfarm, and
Wendy Lee Yuen of El Carmen Estate.
Climate change impacts will provide the external stimuli needed for the
agriculture sector’s realignment. In addition, Trinidad and Tobago is likely to
move forward if there is an articulated, attainable vision for the sector. The
devastating floods of 2018 and other challenges including praedial larceny
and land availability will make business-as-usual a very costly option.
jobs towards income sources that are low-emission and more climate-resilient.
It is in that context that agriculture and agro-industry will continue to
attract the kind of propulsion needed to attain pride of place. Adapting to
climate change will necessitate the type of climate-smart agriculture that is
steadily being incorporated into local agricultural efforts.
The current dean of the Faculty of Food and Agriculture at The University
of the West Indies, St Augustine, Dr Wayne Ganpat, understands this. In 2018
the Faculty hosted a very successful international conference on “Climate
Change Impacts on Food and Nutrition Security”, showcasing the ongoing
efforts of UWI and other stakeholders.
There are significant, designated, international resources for industry
support to make local agriculture and agro-industry more climate-resilient.
On a positive note, the UNFCCC’s Green Climate Fund opened a regional office
in Grenada last year. Trinidad and Tobago has yet to meaningfully engage with
its team for project support.
Resource conservation
Pursuant to a positive vision of the future, local production efforts should
be concentrated in two symbiotic streams: intensive production for nutrition
security, and specialised/niche production for value-added export.
One challenge which Trinidad and Tobago faces is that it does not have the
land area to produce commodities for export, as Prime Minister Dr Keith Rowley
reminded us in 2018. There is not enough land for agriculture to compete
successfully on the global stage. Therefore the nascent local agriculture sector
will be predominantly a producer of goods enhancing food security, with a
significant trade in services.
The future agriculture sector will include intensified crop and livestock
production which will require rationalised use of land, water, energy, and other
inputs produced by using fossil fuels. Practitioners will increasingly need to
monitor resource conservation, safety, biodiversity support, and greenhouse
gas emissions.
The major production of carbohydrates will be via root crops that feed into
the processing industries. The preponderance of animal protein will be sourced
from small ruminants including neo-tropicals, pigs and poultry. Refitted grain
legume and vegetable production, using layered and vertical multi-crop systems,
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