VOL. 31 NO. 5 • SEPT - OCT 2021 • FREE COPY WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.

COM

Integrity Commission
Dr. Derrick Deslandes
The embattled president of CASE.
_________________________________
Members of the College of
Agriculture, Science and Educa-
tion Alumni Association (CASEAA)
have accused the president of
gross mismanagement of
the college projects.
Probes CASE’s
$732M Projects By Kimmy Blair
The Agriculturalist Writer
T he Integrity Commission, Jamaica's leading
anti-corruption watchdog, has launched a
probe into several income generations and train-
ing development projects that have been lagging
for up to three years and involving over J$732 mil-
lion at the College of Agriculture, Science, and Ed-
ucation (CASE).
Members of the College of Agriculture, Science and
Education Alumni Association (CASEAA) have accused
the embattled president Dr Derrick Deslandes of gross
mismanagement of those projects and seek the Integrity
Commission's intervention, after the College Board of
Management and the Education Ministry continue to ig-
nore their request for a comprehensive forensic audit of
the college operations for the past six years.
Continued on Page 7

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Former Agriculture & Fisheries Minister
2 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • 3
4 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
I am really and truly very sorry!
By Kimmy Blair
The Agriculturalist Writer
A griculture & Fisheries Minister Floyd
Green has resigned from the Cabinet
following public backlash after a video sur-
faced showing him and several others in
clear breach of COVID-19 protocols at a
social gathering purportedly on a no-move-
ment.
Green announced his resignation in a
release on September 15, noting that “I
have disappointed so many. My family in-
cluding my son, my Prime Minister and
most importantly, the people of Jamaica
who I have sworn to serve.
“No matter how briefly, and regardless
of the circumstances, I should never have
participated in any engagement that could
indicate a lack of appreciation of the diffi-
cult and serious realities that now face the
entire country.”
“My actions have demonstrated a lack
of sensitivity for the difficult realities that
all of us are facing currently.”
Green said he met with Prime Minister
Andrew Holness and indicated his decision
to withdraw from the Cabinet.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness, who
spoke to the media during a Vaccine Mo-
bilisation and Public Education Campaign
in East Kingston on Wednesday, expressed
regret at the circumstances which led to
Green's resignation.
"We're all disappointed in seeing the
video and Minister Green himself, having
Floyd Green, Former Agriculture
& Fisheries Minister
reflected upon it, also expressed his own
disappointed and recommitted to ensuring
that no such other incident ever occurs. So
I think the nation acknowledges it, he ac-
knowledges it, and he apologised sincerely
for it," Holness said.
The Prime Minister said he met with
Green on Wednesday, and while his resigna-
tion is "a loss for the Cabinet," he discussed
ways in which the former minister's expert-
ise could be utilized "in other areas."
In a video which surfaced on social
media on Tuesday night, Green, Andrew
Bellamy, Councillor for the Mona Division,
and several other people are seen gathered
around a table with food and drinks. Bel-
lamy has stepped down from the board of
the South East Regional Health Authority
(SERHA) and as chairman of committees of
the Kingston and St. Andrew Municipal Cor-
poration.
Gabrielle Hylton, who was an advisor
to Green, also announced her resignation
from all government boards on Wednesday
afternoon. Hylton was present at the party
which was reportedly held to celebrate her
birthday. Hylton sits on the boards of three
public entities - the Cannabis Licensing Au-
thority, the Rural Agricultural Development
Authority, and the Jamaica 4-H Clubs.
Police Commissioner Major General
Antony Anderson said the police are inves-
tigating breaches of the Disaster Risk Man-
agement Act by the persons visible in the
video. General Anderson said the police
have received a copy of the video and "will
be looking at it."
Below is the full text of
Floyd Green resignation statement:
I n 2011, I decided to get involved in repre-
sentational politics because of an desire to
do my part in creating a better Jamaica. It
has been a very challenging journey, but I
have been extremely blessed to have served
as president of Generation 2000 and to be
elected on two occasions to represent the
people of South West St. Elizabeth.
I have also been given the honour and
privilege to serve as State Minister with re-
sponsibility for Youth, State Minister with
responsibility for Industry and Commerce
and Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries.
At every step of the way I have worked
hard. I believe I have conducted myself with
dignity, honesty and discipline. I have re-
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
mained transparent, above the fray of tribal
politics and have treated every single person
I come across with respect.
However, today, I have disappointed so
many. My family including my son, my
Prime Minister and most importantly, the
people of Jamaica who I have sworn to
serve.
No matter how briefly, and regardless
of the circumstances, I should never have
participated in any engagement that could
indicate a lack of appreciation of the diffi-
cult and serious realities that now face the
entire country.
My actions have demonstrated a lack of
sensitivity for the difficult realities that all
of us are facing currently.
It was wrong. I accept that this was an
error in judgement and that it sends the
wrong signal especially in light of the Gov-
ernment’s drive to reduce the spread of
Covid 19. For this I am really and truly very
sorry.
Therefore, I met this morning with
Prime Minister, the Most Honourable An-
drew Holness ON, PC, MP and indicated
that I will withdraw from the Cabinet.
I will work hard to regain the trust and
regard of the Jamaican people but I remain
100% committed, to serve the people of
South West St. Elizabeth. I can and will
promise that this lapse in judgement will not
reoccur.
Again, I apologize, promise to in the fu-
ture do right by the Jamaican people.
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • 5

Don't merge Agriculture with
Industry, Investment and Commerce
W e are joining calls from the Jamaica
Agricultural Society (JAS) and the
Private Sector Organization of Jamaica
(PSOJ) to urge Prime Minister Andrew
Holness not to consider merging Agricul-
ture and Fisheries with the Industry, In-
vestment, and Commerce portfolios.
Following the resignation of Minister
Floyd Green, the Office of the Prime Min-
ister announced that the Minister of Indus-
try, Investment, and Commerce, Audley
Shaw, had been given responsibility for the
Agriculture and Fisheries portfolio.
The public is now confused about
whether this would be a permanent move
by Prime Minister Holness to merge the
ministries again. This was the case during
the term ending September 2020.
The super Ministry of Industry, Com-
merce, Agriculture, and Fisheries
(MICAF) was a colossal failure in several
areas. The most important was political,
human resource management.
It was a hostile environment with sen-
ior ministers Karl Samuda, JC Hutchinson,
and Audley Shaw trying to outsmart each
other while agriculture suffered.
With more than 50 government agen-
cies and companies in diverse industries,
the bureaucratic administration is too much
for any permanent secretary to manage. In
keeping with governance regulations, the
permanent secretary is the sole authority to
approve most regulatory decisions. During
the MICAF period of operations, it was
Green was a breath of fresh air in agriculture!
EDITORIAL
PATRICK MAITLAND
Publisher - The Agriculturalist
patrick@theagriculturalist.com
very dismal for the portfolios of agricul-
ture, industry, and commerce. There were
no winners.
Furthermore, the size of the Ministry
with more than one technical director and
director generals meant that it was unman-
ageable and ungovernable. The appoint-
ment of the Board of Directors was also a
sore point, with industry and commerce
players holding most seats on Boards of
Directors across the Ministry. It became
untenable, and the perception of conflicts
of interest persisted.
As a super ministry, the Ministry of
Industry, Commerce, Agriculture, and
Fisheries would have conflicts between the
local agricultural production and the de-
mands of influential political donors from
Industry and Commerce. The latter usually
won out, and the substantive Minister's de-
cision would take precedence over any
other Minister without Portfolio in that
Ministry.
A reportedly corrupt import permit
system, which has attracted the ire of the
media for decades, and lately the Integrity
Commission, was always at the forefront Audley Shaw
of the conflicts in the super Ministry.
Agriculture is a critical industry that
employs over 200,000 Jamaicans and con- Shaw takes
tributes a measurable 7 percent to the is-
land's Gross Domestic Products (GDP). It
is crucial for self-sufficiency and linkages
over Agri
with tourism and agro-processing, which
must be modernized for sustainable
growth.
& Fisheries
As in other countries where agricul-
ture is thriving, creating a standalone min-
istry for agriculture and fisheries allowed
portfolio
for strategic focus on the sector. The ill-
conceived MICAF is not the solution to
achieving food security, agri-business de-
M inister of Industry, Investment and
Commerce Audley Shaw has been
given responsibility for the Agriculture
velopment, climate-smart technology, and and Fisheries portfolio following the res-
export expansion. ignation of Floyd Green.
We, therefore, urge Prime Minister The announcement was made last
Holness to scrap the idea of merging agri- Wednesday in a brief statement from the
culture, fisheries, commerce, and industry Office of the Prime Minister.
portfolio and identify a dedicated Minister Green, who was appointed Agricul-
of Agriculture and Fisheries to oversee the ture Minister in September last year fol-
transformation of the sector. lowing the Jamaica Labour Party's
victory at the polls, resigned following
public outrage over his attendance at a
party during a no-movement day.

Jamaican agriculture and farming were We are, however, very disheartened by

T he former Minister of Agriculture and
Fisheries Floyd Green was always seen
as a gentleman of impeccable character with
a genuine interest in the welfare of farmers.
Following his re-election as Member of
Parliament for Southwest St. Elizabeth on
September 3, 2020, Green was appointed
Minister of Agriculture & Fisheries.
Green was a breath of fresh air in agri-
culture. He opened doors of communication
with stakeholders. He was willing to talk
with anybody to seek solutions to numerous
issues affecting farming.
The opinions expressed in this newspaper, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views
of The Agriculturalist and its publishers. Please send your comments or suggestions to
editor@theagriculturalist.com. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all articles will
be published.
always trending on social media as Green
moved around the rural communities ob-
serving flood damage farms, distributing
input supplies, or participating in farmers'
markets.
Green had big plans for agriculture
under an initiative that will focus on Food
Security, Agribusiness Development, Cli-
mate Smart Technologies, and Export Ex-
pansion (FACE). Despite some challenges,
Minister Green was on a positive pathway
to transform agriculture.
his action and his inexcusable lapse of judg-
ment at a time when we need a united and
cohesive approach to tackle the COVID 19
pandemic.
Send us your
He was graceful and remorseful to
withdraw from the Cabinet following public
news and
outrage over his attendance at a party during
a no-movement day, in violation of the Gov- appointment
ernment's Covid 19 protocols.
We wish Minister Green all the best for
the future!
notice:
editor@theagriculturalist.com

Founded in Jan 1991 • Published by Agri Life Foundation Ltd

Death Announcement
• Deblon "Bathus" Freckleton (Class of 1973 Jamaica
School of Agriculture) who made the transition to be
with his maker on September 4, 2021, in Ft. Laud-
erdale, Florida, USA, where he resided.
• Lawrence Bowie (Class of 1963 Jamaica School of
Agriculture) who made the transition to be with his
maker on September 17, 2021, in Linstead, St. Cather-
ine where he resided; after a period of illness.
• Wesley Watson (Class of 1963 Jamaica School of
Agriculture) who made the transition to be with his
maker on Sunday, August 15, 2021.
• Alvin Hewitt (Class of 1981 Jamaica School of Agri-
culture) who made the transition to be with his maker
on September 09, 2021, in May Pen, Clarendon; after
succumbing to complications related to an infection by
the COVID 19 Virus.
• Roan Vassell (Class of 1999 College of Agriculture,
Science and Education) who made the transition to be
with his maker on Monday, August 30, 2021.
• Fred Keith Robertson (Class of 1959 Jamaica
School of Agriculture) who made the transition to be
with his maker on Saturday, September 04, 2021, in
Kingston .
Print • Digital • Social • Events • Broadcasting
Publisher: Patrick Maitland • Advertising/Subscription: Adira Grant
Consulting Editors: Novell Quest, Vincent Wright, Jairzenho Bailey
Corporate offices:
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6 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM

A
T
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 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
Integrity Commission probes
CASE’s $732M projects
Continued from page 1
According to reports reaching The
Agriculturalist, a team of investigators
from the Integrity Commission visited the
Portland-based College on August 12, 2021,
and interviewed senior staff in the accounts,
finance, and human resource departments.
The College's electronic database (server),
cellular phones, documents, and other rele-
vant materials were among the list of items
that were reportedly copied or confiscated
by the investigators.
The team also visited and photographed
several sites hosting the partially completed
projects, including the US$120,000 or J$18
M funded plant tissue culture laboratory and
the Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries $59
M sponsored 26,000 birds capacity tunnel
ventilated poultry house.
The CASEAA has alerted the Commis-
sion of several irregularities that they have
witnessed at the College including the "in-
adequate monitoring and evaluation of all
implemented projects, questionable pro-
curement procedures during project imple-
mentation, and persistent failure of projects
to be completed on time to generate the in-
tended revenue for the institution; the man-
agement of financial resources is not aligned
with operational functions to meet learning
deliverables; the urgent need for infrastruc-
ture development in the learning environ-
ment, including dormitories, classrooms,
and laboratories; and management making
questionable human resource decisions in-
cluding employment, promotions, awards,
and performance appraisal of staff.
"The persistent absence of the president
of the College from the institution because
of his membership on several Public Sector
Boards. The times spent by the president
chairing and attending meetings of these
Boards have significantly limited the time
available for the College's operations to be
managed effectively and efficiently," ac-
cording to documents filed with Integrity
JIS Commission.
Man- A director at the Integrity Commission
declined to give further details on the inves-
tigations being conducted at the CASE.
Income generations and
training development projects
Several potential income generations
and training development projects valued at
just over $732 million are lagging for up to
three years. These projects include the fol-
lowing:
• Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory
(US$120,000), which started in 2016 and
was funded by the Ole Farmers' Association
North America, Inc., is still incomplete. The
project was intended to be the centerpiece of
a plant biotechnology factory that was envi-
sioned to produce for sale a wide range of
high-quality, disease-free crop planting ma-
terials to improve the productivity of the
crop's farms of the College and the wider Ja-
maican crop-producing entities. The opera-
tion of the biotechnology factory was also
NEWS
Plant Tissue Culture Laboratory (US$120,000) which started in 2016 and was funded by the Ole Farmers' Association North
America, Inc. is still incomplete. -Photo courtesy of OFANA
CASE’s Income generation and training development projects
Submitted by Dr Derrick Deslandes, CASE President
expected to provide students with invaluable
exposure to crop micropropagation and
other plant biotechnology techniques in
preparation for the students to be competent
in those methods of plant propagation upon
graduation. After several missed completion
dates, the building was eventually com-
pleted in 2019, but the machinery and equip-
ment were yet to be procured.
• Tunnel Ventilated Poultry House
(J$59 M) The construction of the 16,000-
tunnel chicken house was completed in early
2018 but has since remained idle because
the administration of the College did not
have the foresight and knowledge to ensure
the construction of the essential companion
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • 7
million was listed as part of the enterprise
buildout. The license was approved in May
2020, but infrastructure and other logistical
considerations are in completed.
• New IT Infrastructure (J$84 M)
The Universal Service Fund, an agency
under the Ministry of Science, Energy and
Technology, contributed $84 million to im-
prove the College's fibre optic, VOIP tele-
phone system, and storage capabilities.
Students and staff continue to complain
about the poor internet services on the cam-
pus.
• Pineapple value chain in Portland
(J$11 M) A grant agreement was signed in
2017 between the USAID-funded Jamaica
Rural Economy and Ecosystems Adapting
to Climate II (JaREEACH II) and CASE to
strengthen the pineapple value chain in Port-
land. In keeping with the agreement, CASE
was allocated $11 million to assist farmers
in increasing access to high-quality seed ma-
terial, agro-processing technology, and train-
ing in agronomic best practices. According
to reports to date, no formal contractual
arrangements between value chain actors
producers, buyers, and processors were put
in place.
• Abattoir, wastewater treatment sys-
tems, and a bio digestor (J$161 M) The
president recently released a document that
listed the Ministry of Education and Infor-
mation as the significant contributor with
$261.60 million for physical infrastructures
plus another $161 million to construct an
abattoir, wastewater treatment systems, and
a bio digestor which remain in completed.
• Pineapple expansion project (J$14
M) The Jamaica Business Funds (JBF) $14
million pineapple expansion project which
includes local farmers, new greenhouses,
facilities of a processing line and a suitable
solar power at the College's Spring Gardens
building to house the abattoir in tandem with
farms and a pineapple processing system for
the construction of the poultry house. The
purees, and slices "is still a work in
processing line was reportedly procured, and
progress," according to project document re-
the abattoir was under construction, but the
leased by president Deslandes.
projected completion date was yet to be dis-
• Other unfinished projects (J$25.5
closed. Ministry of Agriculture & Fisheries
M) Other unfinished projects being imple-
sponsored the projects for $29 + $30 mil-
mented at CASE include two commercial
lions since 2018.
aquaponics production facilities being
• Medical Cannabis Project (J$102
funded by Sandals Resorts International and
M) In September 2018, RAWMEDZ Inc., a
the Environment Foundation of Jamaica for
private company based in Toronto, Canada,
$10.5 million; and a $15 million grant from
signed a joint venture agreement with CASE
the Petroleum Corporation of Jamaica (PCJ)
to collaborate on the cultivation, processing,
to replace lighting with LED lights.
and distribution of cannabis. According to
the College's project document, some $102
8 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
Agriculturalists dumped from CASE Board
By Patrick Maitland
Editor The Agriculturalist
————————————
M embers of the College of Agricul-
ture, Science and Education Alumni
Association (CASEAA) are unhappy with
the decision of Minister of Education,
Youth, and Information Fayval Williams to
remove two of its members from the Col-
lege's Board of Management and the ex-
tension of the employment contract of
embattled president Dr. Derrick Deslandes.
CASEAA President Pius Lacan and
CASEAA Executive member Canute
Sadler were among four appointed Board
members who were dropped from the Col-
lege's Board of Management by Minister
Williams after they were deemed to be not
supportive of the renewal or extension of
the employment contract of president Dr
Deslandes whose three-year contract ended
on August 31, 2021.
Documents obtained by The Agricul-
turalist noted that the previous CASE
Board of Management chaired by Major
George Kates had voted not to renew or ex-
tend Deslandes' contract. A letter signed by
Major Kates dated May 21, 2021, was
therefore sent to Dr. Deslandes and advised
him that the position would be advertised
to enable the appointment of a new presi-
dent who would take office on September
1, 2021.
However, Major Kates said that Min-
ister Williams advised him in an email
dated June 1, 2021, that he is being re-
placed as chairman by Dr. Anudre
Franklin, Deputy Chairman of the Jamaica
Labour Party and a graduate of the former
Passley Gardens Teacher's College.
At the first meeting of the new Board,
it was revealed that Dr. Franklin decided
not to support the former Board's decisions
by electing not to recognize the minutes of
the Board meeting of May 21, 2021.
Board members Canute Sadler,
Patrick Stern, Satya Parvataneni, who were
members of the previous Board and Pius
Lacan, who was newly appointed to the
Board, disagreed with the decision to dis-
regard the minutes of the May 21, 2021
Board Meeting and were subsequently re-
placed as members of the Board by Sean
Azan; Rachel McDonald; Andrew Warwar
and Dr. Suzanna Holness.
"We had major disagreements with
Chairman Franklin on the governance of
the College including the behavior and
management style of the president Dr. Des-
landes," former Board member Sadler re-
vealed.
The Agriculturist was reliably in-
formed that at the second meeting of the
newly reconstituted Board, the members
disregarded the decision made on May 21,
2012, by the previous Board and voted to
extend the employment contract of Dr.
Deslandes for another year, even though
there were no provisions for renewal or ex-
tension in his previous contract.
NEWS
• President Contract Extended
Pius Lacan
CASEAA President
The employment contract of em-
battled CASE president Dr. Der-
rick Deslandes was extended by
the recently appointed Board of
Management under the chairman-
ship of Dr Aundre Franklin. Docu-
ments obtained by The
Agriculturalist recealed that the
previous Board chaired by Major
George Kates had voted not to
renew or extend the president
contract.
According to Minister Williams, "after
reviewing the situation at CASE and lis-
tening to many stakeholders, I have had to
go forward with some new members on the
board instead of some of the existing mem-
bers." She added that CASE needs "a new
start" and remained committed to having
an alumni representative on the Board of
Management.
CASE Alumni president Pius noted
that while it's the responsibility of the Min-
ister to appoint the Board, the omission of
a CASE Alumni representative on the
Board has been viewed as an insult to all
CASE graduates. "We have been support-
ing the college with financial and resources
including scholarships, laptops, and in-
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • 9
Canute Sadler
CASEAA Executive member
come generation projects, and because we
expressed our disagreement with the per-
formance of the president, we are sidelined
from the Board of Management," Pius re-
marked.
He further said that as the first stake-
holders, Minister Williams is being urged
to immediately appoint the Alumni repre-
sentative to the Board of Management of
CASE and authorize a comprehensive
forensic audit of the college operations for
the past six years.
The Alumni president warned, "Until
Minister Williams decided to meet with us
and consider our demand, the CASEAA
will be suspending all contribution and
support to the College. However, individ-
ual members will continue to provide per-
sonal and individual support to students
with study grants and other learning."
WINDALCO to face
criminal charges for
polluting the Cobre River
T he National Environment and
Planning Agency, NEPA, is bring-
ing criminal charges against WIN-
DALCO in response to the discharge
of toxic substances in the Rio Cobre in
August 2021.
The discharge resulted in a fish kill
and emission of a pungent odor in the
Rio Cobre in St Catherine. NEPA says
it is also ordering the company to im-
prove its effluent holding facility to
prevent a recurrence.
Anthony McKenzie is Director for
Environmental Management and Con-
servation at NEPA.
Aundre Franklin
Chairman, CASE Board
Members of the previous CASE Board
and the Alumni Association have been
upset with the leadership of Dr. Deslandes
after news surfaced that the College was
undertaking projects valued at $732 mil-
lion, all of which were at various stages of
incompletion with several lagging for up to
four years.
Dr. Deslandes was appointed Presi-
dent of CASE following the retirement of
Dr. Mary Ann Nichols in September 2015.
Dr. Franklin was appointed chairman of the
CASE Board effective May 10, 2021. He
replaced Major Kates, who has served as
the chairman since January 2016.
The Agriculturalist was unable to
reach Williams, Franklin, and Deslandes
for further comments.Calls were not re-
turned.
Based on NEPA's analysis, he says
the fish kill and strong odor experi-
enced were because of a discharge of
effluent by WINDALCO. He says this
is in breach of the Wildlife Protection
Act, which attracts criminal charges.
McKenzie notes the discharge of
effluent from WINDALCO has been a
long-standing issue in the Ewarton
area of St. Catherine. He says a court
matter between NEPA and WIN-
DALCO concerning a similar incident
in 2019 remains unresolved.
10 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM

AIC Seeks Investors For Mango Agro Park

By Garfield L. Angus, JIS relegations and to export quality fruits that
are free of pests and pathogens," he noted.
T he Agro-Investment Corporation
(AIC), an agency of the Ministry of
Agriculture and Fisheries, is establishing
Dr. Powell explained that Jamaican
mangoes are in high demand in the United
a Mango Agro Park in the Toll Gate area States (US), the United Kingdom (UK),
of Clarendon and seeks investors to par- and Canada. "It is estimated that some 1.6
million Jamaicans reside in the United
ticipate in the venture.
States, mainly in the areas of New York,
Chief Executive Officer of the AIC,
New Jersey, and Miami. In addition to that,
Dr. Al Powell, told JIS News that the re-
there are another 1.2 million Jamaicans
sponse from investors has been encourag-
from the Caribbean diaspora. We must
ing with 15 applications from both local
grasp every opportunity to meet the de-
and overseas interests.
mands of those markets," the CEO empha-
He pointed out that several hundred
sized.
acres of lands, once used for sugar cane
Over 900 acres of land have been ear-
farming, are now available for mangoes
marked for the Mango Agro Park. A 60-
and other crops, and the "Government is
acre demonstration plot was established to
intent on putting these lands into profitable
welcome the first set of investors. "You can
farming production."
make up to 30% on your investment by
Dr. Powell said that the necessary in-
year four and an internal rate of return
frastructure to facilitate the project, such as
(IRR) of 80% by year seven," Dr. Powell
roads and irrigation systems, is being de-
explained.
veloped. "Upon completion, the selected
Dr. Al Powell Application forms for participating in
entrepreneurs will take possession of the
Chief Executive Officer, AIC the Mango Agro Park are available for
areas allocated. We are projecting that
download at www.agroinvest.gov.jm or the
these business ventures will be fully oper- The CEO told JIS News that a state- fect the mangoes against fruit flies. "This corporation's office at 188 Spanish Town
ational by the middle of next year," he of-the-art hot water treatment plant costing equipment is also very essential in our ef- Road in St. Andrew.
added. US$500,000 is being constructed to disin- fort to comply with international export
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
Lisa Grant
TSL-CSI’s Executive Director
Food exporters to
benefit from region-
based certification
A new regional certification body is now
available to Caribbean exporters of
food products through the accreditation of
TSL Certification Services International
Limited (TSL-CSI), an affiliate of Jamaican
science-based services company, Techno-
logical Solutions Limited (TSL).
ANSI National Accreditation Board
(ANAB) on July 29, 2021, granted accredi-
tation to TSL CSI making it the only private
sector Food Safety and Quality Systems cer-
tification body in the Central American and
Caribbean region that is accredited to grant
Safe Quality Food (SQF) certification.
This comprehensive certification sys-
tem addresses food safety and quality man-
agement. The Safe Quality Food Institute
indicated that the pedigree of TSL-CSI af-
filiate, TSL, its accomplishments and its
years of service to the regional productive
sector were important factors in agreeing to
grant an exclusive licence to TSL-CSI for
SQF Certification in the region.
“This designation allows us to grant
Safe Quality Food (SQF) certification to
companies operating in food and ingredient,
food packaging, dietary supplements, ani-
mal feed and pet food manufacturing, as
well as consumer products packaging, stor-
age, distribution, transportation, logistics,
catering operations, farming and agricultural
packing houses,” noted Lisa Grant, TSL-
CSI’s Executive Director. The Safe Qual-
ity Food (SQF) Program is a Global Food
Safety Initiative (GFSI)-benchmarked food
safety standard based on Hazard Analysis
Critical Control Point (HACCP).
ANSI (The American National Stan-
dards Institute), located in Washington D.C.,
is a founding member of the International
Organization for Standardization (ISO).
“ANSI standards have crucial value to the
programmes used in a variety of industries
worldwide. Although consumers are not al-
ways familiar with ANSI standards, they
protect products, the environment and peo-
ple's health and safety,” Grant added. Certi-
fication bodies accredited by ANSI are
accepted worldwide as credible for certify-
ing food safety and quality-based systems.
The ANSI National Accreditation
Board (ANAB) is a non-governmental or-
ganization that provides accreditation serv-
ices and training to public and private-sector
organizations, serving the global market-
place. It is the largest multi-disciplinary ac-
creditation body in the western hemisphere,
with more than 2,500 organizations accred-
ited in approximately 80 countries.
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • 11
NEWS
RADA CEO on Secondment to JACRA
A fter a 3 1/2 years recruitment drive for
a Director-General of the fledgling Ja-
maica Agricultural Commodities Regula-
tory Authority (JACRA), Peter Thompson,
the current CEO at Rural Agricultural De-
velopment Authority (RADA), was sec-
onded to the post at JACRA, effective
September 1, 2021.
Thompson, who served as RADA's
CEO for over five years, did not enjoy a
good relationship with the Authority's
Board of Management which tried to re-
place him on several occasions, according
to reports reaching The Agriculturalist. Peter Thompson Marina Young
The CEO declined to elaborate on the
specific reasons for the secondment to
JACRA’s Director General RADA’s Acting CEO
stantive post as a research coordinator. JACRA, which commenced opera-
JACRA. However, he noted that this trans-
Marina Young, principal director, tions on January 1, 2018, is an amalgama-
fer to JACRA is another opportunity for
him to serve Jamaica's farmers and help
boost local food production.
technical services at RADA, will serve in
an acting role until a new CEO is recruited.
The post is being advertised in the
tion of the Cocoa Industry Board, Coffee
Industry Board, the regulatory functions of
the Coconut Industry Board, and the Ex-
Gusland McCook, who acted as CEO
local newspapers. port Division of the Ministry of Agricul-
of JACRA for 3 ½ years, reverts to his sub-
ture and Fisheries.
Cousins says chicken meat price increase
threatens the nutrition of the poor
poultry farmers who need day-old chicks companies, as the weather-impacting oc-
and feed to restart operations after a tropi- currence portends a shortage of chicken
cal storm, Ida. meat in the coming weeks.
Cousins said the small farmers who Cousins called on the Minister of
produce some 30 percent of local output Agriculture, Floyd Green, to convene an
were severely impacted by the flood rains urgent meeting of industry players to dis-
associated with Ida. cuss the present state of the poultry indus-
Consequently, Cousins said he is ap- try.
pealing for help to facilitate the farmers In addition, he said this meeting
achieving a speedy recovery, which could should focus on formulating a plan and
take place in five to six weeks. He said if strategy to ensure that Jamaicans can ac-
the Ministry does not assist, the country cess adequate supplies of chicken meat.
could be left to the mercy of the Broiler
Lathan Cousins
Opposition Spokesman
on Agriculture and Water
O pposition Spokesman of Agriculture
and Water Lathan Cousins says he is
concerned about the rapid increases in the
price of poultry meal in the local market,
which is causing a heavy burden on con-
sumers who rely on the popular protein for
daily sustenance.
Cousins said the five percent price in-
crease announced by Caribbean Broilers
comes against the background of recent in-
creases and a shortage of chicken neck and
back, a popular staple for the poorest con-
sumers, on the local market.
"This five per cent increase is uncon-
scionable at this time and will threaten a
nutritionally balanced meal for many, par-
ticularly minimum wage earners," Cousins
said.
The Opposition Spokesman is calling
on the Ministry of Agriculture and Fish-
eries to use its resources to intervene to
ease the burden on the poor. He suggested
that this be done by supporting the local
12 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • SEPTEMBE -OCTOBER 2021 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM

community photos

S E NI O R
S
I N F AR
MING
Former Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Floyd Green (r), converses with
Chief Executive Officer, National Irrigation Commission, Joseph Gyles, while
viewing crops destroyed by recent flood rains during a tour of farms in Bog Hole,
Clarendon, on September 1. -PHOTO: MICHAEL SLOLEY

Extension officers
packaging tomatoes
purchased from
farmers in St. Eliza-
beth under the
Government $320 M
Buy Back Pro-
gramme which
began last year and
Ruth J. Stennett, Programme Organizer, National Council for Senior Citizens of is being imple-
the Ministry of Labour and Social Security (r) poses with Bunker’s Hill, Trelawney mented through the
senior Emily Frater as she presents the farmer with farming tools and raincoat Rural Agricultural
courtesy of FFP, the Guardian Group and Agri Supplies Limited. Frater was the Development Au-
most outstanding competitor of the recently staged GET (Get Elders Trained) thority.
Farming initiative and the GET Farming song competition.
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
World Food Day-Oct 16
Better production, better nutrition, a
better environment and a better life
W orld Food Day is an international day celebrated
every year worldwide on 16 October to com-
memorate the date of the founding of the United Na-
tions Food and Agriculture Organization in 1945. This
year’s celebration is on Saturday, October 16, 2021.
The future of food is in our hands
An agri-food system is a complex term that may seem
far from your reality, but do you know our lives de-
pend on them? Every time you eat, you participate in
the system. The food we choose and the way we pro-
duce, prepare, cook and store it make us an integral
and active part of the way in which an agri-food sys-
tem works.
A sustainable agri-food system is one in which a
variety of sufficient, nutritious and safe foods is avail-
able at an affordable price to everyone, and nobody is
hungry or suffers from any form of malnutrition.
Winston Scott, president of the Needham Pen Farmers Association (2nd l), displays the Digicel
$650,000 grant poster while Jeremy Owen, Sales, and Distribution Manager, Digicel (1st l) and
Charmaine Daniels, CEO, Digicel Foundation look on.
.
Needham Pen Farmers Association
gets Digicel a $650,000 grant
M embers of Needham Pen Farmers Association
recently received a grant of JA $650,000 from
the Digicel Foundation to assist with acquiring irri-
gation equipment to be used as a drought mitigation
tool as farmers are significantly affected by the pro-
longed droughts due to climate change.
Needham Pen district is a part of the larger
community of Lyssons, located east of the capital
Morant Bay in the parish of St Thomas. The main
income-generating activity in Needham Pen is farm-
ing.
The Needham Pen Farmers Association was es-
tablished in 2017 to unify farmers in the district to
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • 13
The shelves are stocked at the local market or
food store, but less food is wasted and the food supply
chain is more resilient to shocks such as extreme
weather, price spikes or pandemics, all while limiting,
rather than worsening, environmental degradation or
climate change.
In fact, sustainable agri-food systems deliver food
security and nutrition for all, without compromising
the economic, social and environmental bases, for gen-
erations to come. They lead to better production, bet-
ter nutrition, a better environment and a better life for
all.
Why care?
Agri-food systems employ 1 billion people world-
wide, more than any other economic sector. Moreover, Prime Minister Andrew Holness
the way we produce, consume and, sadly, waste food
exacts a heavy toll on our planet, putting unnecessary
pressure on natural resources, the environment and cli-
mate.
Another Minister to
oversee Ministry of
Agriculture & Fisheries
By Chris Patterson “We were all disappointed in
KINGSTON (JIS): seeing the video and Minister
Green himself, having reflected
A nother Minister of Govern-
ment will temporarily over-
see the Ministry of Agriculture
upon it, also expressed his own
disappointment and recommitted
and Fisheries until a new Minis- to ensuring that no such other in-
ter is appointed, following the cident ever occur… and he has
resignation of Floyd Green on apologised sincerely for it,” he
September 15. said.
Prime Minister, Andrew Commenting on Mr. Green’s
Holness, made the disclosure contribution to Cabinet, the
while addressing journalists at Prime Minister noted that he
the vaccination site at the Wind- showed “great potential”.
ward Road Primary and Junior He said it is important that Min-
High School in East Kingston, on isters exemplify the law, noting
September 15. that Mr. Green did the right
The Prime Minister said he thing in offering his resignation.
would not assume responsibility Meanwhile, he said volun-
for the Ministry, given his current tary compliance is critical in the
workload and oversight. “I do in- management of the COVID-19
tend to place the Ministry under pandemic.“We have managed to
temporary supervision until I get the people on board to follow
have finalised the ministerial ap- the protocols, to follow the Or-
pointment for that ministry. At ders under the Disaster Risk
this point, having the COVID is- Management Act (DRMA), so
sues to deal with, I wouldn’t want we have not relied heavily on en-
to take on another responsibility forcement. We have relied on the
trust and confidence of the peo-
where I will have to exercise
even greater ministerial over- ple in voluntary compliance, and
sight,” he said. to a large degree most Jamaicans
“Already, I am the Minister
of Economic Growth and Job
have complied to some extent,”
Mr. Holness said.
Creation. I do have the office of “If there is any break in that
the Prime Minister, which is a
ministry in itself and I do play a
synergy between the executive
authority giving the mandate/or-
improve the lives and livelihoods of its members.
The major crops grown in the district are ba-
nana, plantain, breadfruit, avocado, ackee, coconut,
significant role in national secu-
rity through the National Security
ders under the DRMA and the
confidence that we ourselves are
not just preaching but doing what
Council. I have to acknowledge
gungo peas, sorrel, and a wide range of vegetables. we are preaching, if there is a
the human limits and so I will ask
The livestock activities are chicken, pigs, cows, and break in that and people start to
another minister to oversee it
goat rearing. Markets for local produce are sourced feel that we are saying one thing
until I am settled in my mind
in the parish capital of Morant Bay and are Corona- and doing another, then the level
where to give it a final place of
tion Market in Kingston. The Association has 34 of voluntary compliance will fall
ministerial support,” he said.
members, with approximately 60% female farmers. and it will become difficult to
The Prime Minister ex-
The average age of the members is 49 years old. manage the pandemic in the way
pressed disappointment in the
The Association's president is Winston Scott, a which we have done, which is by
video, which shows the former
graduate of CASE and the UWI, St Augustine. getting public support,” he added.
minister at a social gathering.
14 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
African swine fever reaches the Caribbean
By Greg Cima
A frican swine fever killed 2,200 pigs in
at least 24 outbreaks in the Domini-
can Republic this summer.
Another 200 pigs were culled in re-
sponse to the outbreaks.
The infections are the first identified
in the Western Hemisphere since 1984, ac-
cording to the World Organisation for An-
imal Health (OIE). The first outbreak
began around July 1 and killed almost 800
pigs in the country’s northwest, and an OIE
update published Aug. 8 indicates subse-
quent testing found infections back to April
10.
“While further investigations are on-
going to determine how the virus entered
the country, several measures are already
Haiti sees first African swine fever outbreak in 37 yrs
CHICAGO:
H aiti has its first outbreak of the fatal
pig virus African swine fever in 37
years, the World Organisation for Animal
Health said, fueling concerns about the dis-
ease's spread in the Americas.
The organisation, known as the OIE,
said in a report on Monday that one back-
yard farm in Anse-à-Pitre, near Haiti's bor-
der with the Dominican Republic, suffered
an outbreak that began on Aug. 26.
In July, the U.S. Department of Agri-
Agriculture innovator invests in Barbados
By Ralph Birkhoff
T he Dutch-Canadian investor is the
founder and chief operating officer of
Connecticut-based Alquimi Renewables and
co-founder of its farming operations group Is-
land Growers Caribbean.
His group has planted its roots here as
the first 100 per cent climate smart and Cate-
gory 5 hurricane-resistant greenhouse system
in the Caribbean, and will be producing more
than 4 000 pounds per month of organic qual-
ity greens for the local market, with a focus
on “cold weather crops” including fresh
greens, herbs, berry fruits, tomatoes, and pep-
pers.
Working with Barbados partners Armag
Farms, Island Growers Caribbean will be
growing imported crops only, and will not be
competing with local farmers. In addition to
helping to reduce food imports, the company
plans to hire young people to work on its
newly-constructed 5 000 square foot green-
house farm.
The agri-solutions business, which has
received guidance and facilitation from Invest
Barbados, has an initial equity capital invest-
ment of US$500 000 in the first phase of its
operations here, and is committed to invest-
ing up to US$3 million by phase three of its
initiative.
Having now worked in the Caribbean for
more than 20 years, living in the region for
ten of them, Birkhoff, discovered that “the
fresh produce that’s available in the super-
markets first of all was very expensive and
INTERNATIONAL NEWS
culture confirmed African swine fever in
samples from pigs in the Dominican Re-
public, the region's first case in nearly 40
years. The agency at the time warned that
Haiti was at a high risk for infections. read
more
The USDA confirmed Haiti's outbreak
last week through testing at its Foreign An-
imal Disease Diagnostic Laboratory on
Plum Island in New York, the OIE said.
The USDA said it would issue a statement
later on Tuesday.
Ralph Birkhoff is determined to grow
investment in climate smart agricul-
ture and he has chosen Barbados
as a focal point of that mission.
then once you had it it was very poor quality,
a lot of the imported stuff”.
Protective agriculture
He was motivated to look for solutions
and realised that protective agriculture “was
really the only way to produce large volumes
of these imported crops because they are re-
ally temperate weather crops, they don’t grow
naturally in our climate here, so we have to
grow them in a greenhouse”.
Alquimi Renewables and Island Grow-
ers Caribbean teamed up with its strategic en-
gineering and manufacturing partner, Sprung
Haiti is conducting surveillance for the
disease in pigs and imposed a quarantine
to control the outbreak, the OIE said.
Cases in Haiti and the Dominican Re-
public raise concerns that African swine
fever could spread to the United States and
temporarily hurt U.S. pork exports. Gov-
ernments often block imports of pork prod-
ucts from countries where the disease has
been found to prevent transmission.
African swine fever is harmless to hu-
mans but often fatal to pigs. It originated
in Africa before spreading to Europe and
Structures Ltd to develop a highly specialised
greenhouse system. The greenhouse facility
in Barbados is engineer-certified up to 175
miles per hour (mph) sustained wind loads
and 202 mph gusts, and is also earthquake,
flood, and pestilence-resistant.
The greenhouse employs a customised
hydroponic system that delivers the highest
potential crop yields while using a fraction of
the energy and water required by other hy-
droponic systems.
Birkhoff said his group was attracted to
Barbados for various reasons, including a
“terrific local partner” in the Armstrong fam-
ily-owned Armag Farms, and Prime Minister
Mia Amor Mottley’s vision for food security.
“In the case of Barbados we had a very per-
fect partner opportunity to work with the
Armstrong family and to be a part of that
farming operation and they just moved very
quickly. If our investors want to go and move
at a certain pace then we are right there with
them,” he noted.
“I was thrilled by the fact that we moved
to Barbados because your Prime Minister is
very vocal and very focused on food security
compared to many of the other leaders, so she
understands the issues and the vulnerability
of over-dependency on food imports but also
to encourage local agriculture in all formats.
Not just crop farming but livestock, dairy,
poultry and Barbados has always had a long
history with agriculture, so we were thrilled
when we got the call to start the project,” he
added.
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
in place to halt its further spread,” an OIE
announcement states.
Two cute pigs behind their fence on a
farm in the Dominican Republic
The U.S. Department of Agriculture
Foreign Animal Disease Diagnostic Labo-
ratory confirmed the presence of ASF virus
in the Dominican Republic on July 27, and
Dominican Republic authorities reported
the results to the OIE on July 29, according
to OIE and USDA information.
ASF can wipe out entire herds of do-
mestic swine. The virus is highly conta-
gious, and study results suggest the virus
is hardy enough to remain viable for
months in common feed ingredients, in-
cluding those shipped across oceans.
Asia and has already killed hundreds of
millions of pigs, while reshaping global
meat and feed markets.
The disease spread rapidly in China
starting three years ago and wiped out half
the country's hog herd, the world's largest,
within a year. It sent global pork prices
surging.
In Haiti, the outbreak is the latest chal-
lenge for residents and the government fol-
lowing an earthquake and the assassination
of the president. read more
Belize reports
outbreak of
Virulent Newcastle
Disease in poultry
B elize on Thursday said it has noti-
fied the World Organisation for An-
imal Health of two outbreaks of Virulent
Newcastle Disease in backyard poultry
in at least two districts.
The Ministry of Agriculture and the
Belize Agricultural Health Authority
(BAHA) said disease investigations were
conducted after poultry farmers reported
high mortality.
BAHA's Central Veterinary Diag-
nostic Laboratory detected Newcastle
Disease in samples submitted and the
findings were confirmed by a US labo-
ratory.
It said following confirmation and
notification, an Emergency Task Force
has been activated to develop and imple-
ment control measures.
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • 15
16 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • 17

Agro Park Productivity On The Rise

For 2020-2021 Despite Covid 19 Pandemic
pated in the Drive-Thru
Farmer’s Market. As time pro-
gressed, a strong dialogue was
maintained with our farmers/in-
vestors, suppliers as well as the
Ministry of Agriculture and
Fisheries on how to proceed
during the period of the pan-
demic.
By Alecia Brown-Forbes
abrown-forbes@agroinvest.gov.jm
Production of Food
————————————-———-
The first quarter of the fi-

T he Agro Park Programme

continues to integrate every
facet of the agricultural value
nancial year commenced with
an upward trajectory in produc-
tion with figures of 986,794.64
chain from pre-production ac- kg of produce. The subsequent
tivities (land clearing, access two quarters were not as pro-
roads, irrigation, and drainage) ductive due to heavy rains from
to production, post-harvest han- the September to November pe-
dling, and marketing. riods. The fourth quarter, how-
This integration takes place ever, experienced a significant
in a public/private partnership increase of 55.58% in produc-
framework between the Agro- tion when compared to the sec-
Investment Corporation, farm- ond and third quarters of the
ers/investors, and marketing financial year 2020-2021.
entities. Based on the resilience of
Throughout the 2020-2021 the farmers total production
financial year we were exposed recorded for the 2020-2021 pe-
to the COVID-19 pandemic and riod was 3,649,912.52 kg in
in the months of September- contrast with 2,627,937.014 kg
November 2020, we were also for the 2019-2020 financial pe-
affected by heavy rains which riod.
caused several challenges on The Corporation continues
the Agro-Parks and Production to receive several calls, visits,
Zones which impacted the lev- and requests for land for pro-
els of crop production. duction. As it now stands, lands
Notwithstanding these chal- Ebony Agro Park - Escallion being planted. on the Agro Parks are approxi-
lenges, the financial period mately 97% occupied by farm-
the 2020-2021 financial year market linkages. To this end,
2020-2021 ended with a pro- ers/investors. Negotiations are
over that of the corresponding AIC conducted Jamaica’s first-
duction performance of ongoing with the Ministry to
period. ever Drive-Thru Farmers’ Mar-
3,649,912.52 kg valued at JA$ have additional acres put into
To ensure that our Agro ket to remove surplus produce
731.8 million, versus production and additional farm-
Parks and Production Zones from the Agro Parks. More than
2,627,937.014 kg for the 2019- ers/investors are being invited
lose no momentum in produc- 20,000 pounds of produce were
2020 financial year valued at to seize the opportunities that
tion, the Agro Park team, along sold generating over JMD $1.3
JA$ 468 million. The difference exist at the Agro-Investment
with Marketing were very ac- million in revenue. Hundreds of
represented a 28% increase for Corporation.
tive in trying to identify new consumers and retailers partici-

For further information call 876-923-0086; 876-764-8071 • www.agroinvest.gov.jm

18 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021
Selected schools to get modern dairy operations
Submitted by Denise Johnson Anderson
djohnson@jabgl.com
——————————————-
F ormer Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Floyd Green, has com-
mitted to helping selected high schools and universities across the island
to get into the dairy business, as a strategy for Jamaica to meet its domestic
dairy demand.
“We are dedicated, through the Ja-
maica Dairy Development Board (JDDB),
to engage our schools to set up modern-
type dairy operations,” Green said. “We are
not just doing this to teach, but we are
doing this for the schools to also make
money, because we are not fulfilling our
demand for milk. We’re going to be pro-
viding the technical support and grant sup-
port to these schools to ensure that they get
back into dairy farming.”
The minister was speaking at the Is-
land Dairies facility in Goshen, St Eliza-
beth on Friday, July 23, for their handing
over of silage (cut, fermented grass stored
in airtight packaging for future cattle feed-
ing) to the farmers of the St Elizabeth
Dairy Development Cooperative.
Green noted that the schools ear-
marked for dairy production are the Col-
lege of Agriculture, Science and Education
(CASE) in Portland, Ebony Park HEART
Academy in Clarendon, Dinthill Technical
High in St Catherine, Knockalva Polytech-
nic College in Hanover, the Northern
Caribbean University in Mandeville, and
St Elizabeth-based Munro College and
Sydney Pagon Science, Technology, Engi-
neering and Mathematics (STEM) Acad-
emy.
The South West St. Elizabeth member
of parliament underscored the value of
hands-on experience in shaping how the
next generation views agriculture.
“Nothing beats practical experience,”
he emphasised, using his personal experi-
ence of learning to milk cows while at-
tending Munro College as an example. “It
makes you think completely differently
about the importance of the sector.”
Prior to the presentation at Island
Dairies, Green and other key stakeholders
in the dairy industry toured the operations
at Bogue Hill Dairies in the same parish,
where some of the latest innovations in
dairy farming were on show, including a
forage harvester, Total Mix Ration (TMR)
formulation and feeding, and the first herd
of Girolando F1 calves in Jamaica.
Girolandos were first bred in Jamaica
in August 2019 when Bogue Hill Dairies
owner Aubrey Taylor partnered with Hi-
Pro senior veterinarian Dr Michael Motta –
a bovine fertility specialist – to inseminate
his Holstein heifers with imported semen
from Gir bulls, resulting in the highly pro-
ductive and heat resistant breed.
“It is vital that we continue to invest
in our local farmers, so that they can be-
come more productive and help our dairy
industry to recover,” explained Dr Motta.
“Through our support and partnership with
Bogue Hill Dairies on the rearing of the
Girolando breed, we are helping our local
farmers to respond to climate change, as
these cows are more resilient and produc-
tive in warm weather than the other breeds
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
that we have here now. We are honoured to ing, such as fodder availability, noted
be playing a role in this game changing CASE president and JDDB Board chair-
moment for the region’s food security.” he man Dr Derrick Deslandes.
said. “One of the interesting parts of the
This kind of innovation in cattle
breeding must go hand in hand with ad-
business is the provision of animal feed.
Not grains, but silage or forage (grass),” he
vancements in other areas of dairy farm- highlighted. “Farmers will put in 100 acres
of grass, to sell to other farmers. It’s a very
lucrative business and we are encouraging
farmers to do it. We lose too many cows
annually, and too many times our cows are
hungry.”
Deslandes commended Island Dairies,
which has so far developed over 250 of its
newly acquired 400-acre Goshen facility
for dairy farming, for retrofitting and ex-
panding their operations. He also ap-
plauded small cattle farmers who have
taken a keen interest in using technology
to boost their productivity and ensure food
security for their animals.
Everod Nam, managing director of the
host property for the ceremony, said his
team aims to make Island Dairies into a
model for future dairy farms. The new fa-
cility also features dormitory facilities for
its workers.
(l-r) Representative for JLP North East St. Elizabeth constituency, Delroy Slow- He said: “We have taken a modernist
ley; former Minister of Agriculture & Fisheries, Floyd Green; Island Dairies Ja-
approach to housing our employees, be-
maica Ltd. Managing Director Everod Nam, and Hi-Pro Vice President, Colonel
cause we want to attract graduates from the
(Ret’d) Jaimie Ogilvie at the JDDB tour of Bogue Hill Dairies.
agricultural educational institutions. A
product is only as good as its team, so it is
only with a thoroughly trained and knowl-
edgeable team that we can achieve an ex-
cellent dairy farm and industry.”
Nam hopes to make a serious dent in
the local dairy shortage by having at least
500 milking cows on his property at any
given time and partnering with small farm-
ers to help them in sourcing new heifers,
breeding, and marketing their products.
“Technology has evolved, and we aim
to evolve with it. Cross breeding of cows
with a variety of imported semen, and the
different types of grass and legumes now
available, have made it now more feasible
to grow primarily grass-fed cows. Our fu-
ture looks bright,” he noted. “This is why
we will be sharing our information and fu-
ture productivity with the St Elizabeth
Dairy Development Cooperative. We are
beyond elated to present them with silage
from our farm today.”
(l-r) Hi-Pro Animal Nutritionist, Khalil Brown; Former Minister of Agriculture & Also, in attendance at the handing
Fisheries, Floyd Green; Representative of Jamaica Dairy Development Board,
over ceremony was member of parliament
Peter Myers inspect some of the packaged silage from their demonstration of
for North Western St Elizabeth and minis-
the process at Island Dairies Goshen Farm
ter of state in the ministry of transport and
mining J.C. Hutchinson, who is also a
farmer, among other political representa-
tives and community leaders from the
parish. Leaders from the JDDB, NCU,
CASE, and other pivotal institutions were
also on hand to lend their support to the
farming members of the St Elizabeth Dairy
Development Cooperative.
Green noted that despite the pandemic
the ministry of agriculture, through the
JDDB, rehabilitated about 78.7 acres of
pastures, and established 106 acres of fod-
der banks last year. Through its fodder con-
servation programme, the ministry also
produced 224 tonnes of silage, trained 28
farmers, and redistributed 350 heifers to
Some of the latest innovations in dairy farming were on show at Bogue Hill farmers in need.
Dairies, including a forage harvester, Total Mix Ration (TMR) formulation and
feeding,
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
CLA dumped
its Acting CEO
F aith Graham, the acting Chief Ex-
ecutive Officer (CEO) of the
Cannabis Licensing Authority (CLA),
recently resigned from the Authority
shortly after being demoted to her
substantive post of Director of En-
forcement and Monitoring.
According to reports reaching
The Agriculturalist, CLA's Board
was not pleased with her performance
after several confrontations with
major investors in the Cannabis in-
dustry.
Graham's alleged failure to in-
clude small ganja growers in the in-
Increased demand for local Cannabis
By: LATONYA LINTON, JIS
T here has been an increased demand for
local cannabis in the global market
space, as buyers from various countries seek
to acquire the product for medicinal and re-
search purposes.
The Cannabis Licensing Authority
(CLA) is reporting that since the start of the
year, 19 export authorisations have been is-
sued to allow companies to ship cannabis
overseas and another 21 requests are being
processed.
“So, several products [are being
shipped] into several jurisdictions [such as]
Canada, Australia, Israel, Zimbabwe, Cay-
man, Germany, Switzerland, and Portugal,”
Former Acting Chief Executive Officer of
the CLA, Faith Graham, tells JIS News.
The CLA began issuing export authori-
sations in 2018. To date, 42 such authorisa-
tions have been granted to 10 entities trading
with countries in Africa, North America, the
Caribbean, Europe, and Oceania.
Graham says that some of these juris-
dictions have very stringent testing require-
ments in terms of the quality of the cannabis.
“I believe that this is an excellent step in
the development for our industry having
been able to penetrate these markets,” she
tells JIS News.
She notes that the industry has come a long
1 in 2 Americans Have Tried Cannabis
By Alyson Martin
Co-founder of Cannabis Wire.
A new Gallup poll sheds more light on
cannabis consumption trends in the United
States, finding that nearly 50% of Americans
have “tried” cannabis, the highest such num-
ber since the polling service began to pose the
question.
For context, the poll, part of Gallup’s an-
nual Consumption Habits polling, found that
only 4% of Americans said they had tried
cannabis fifty years ago. That number has
steadily climbed over the years, to 20% in
dustry's operations is also upsetting to
the Board.
CLA's chairman, LeVaughn
Flynn could not be reached for de-
tails.
Graham joined the Authority in
2018 as the Director of Enforcement
and Monitoring with primary respon-
sibility for ensuring compliance and
standards within Jamaica's medical
cannabis industry.
She assumed the role of acting
CEO on March 1, 2021, following the
cessation of the secondment of Lin-
coln Allen to the Authority.
way and credits the efforts of local stake-
holders in finding ready markets for Ja-
maican cannabis.
“What is happening right now in the in-
dustry is that licensees have had the oppor-
tunity to go through several crop cycles
(and) they are the ones who are actually seiz-
ing and finding the opportunities out there to
test the waters,” Graham says.
“Cannabis is a long-term investment
and what is good about it is that once we are
able to penetrate these global markets with
the standard of our cannabis, it means that it
is paving the way for future commercial
quantities being exported. So, this is the next
phase of where the industry is,” she adds.
Meanwhile, the Former Acting CEO
tells JIS News that the Dangerous Drugs
(Cannabis Import and Export Licensing)
Regulations are at the final stages of prom-
ulgation. “It has gone through all the
processes and the CLA’s part of the whole
thing is done. So, the [regulations] were
drafted, comments were received by the At-
torney General’s Chambers and the next step
now will be for promulgation through the
Ministry of Justice,” Graham informs.
She notes that the regulations will treat
with, among other things, import/export,
transit, and trans-shipment. Currently, there
is no restriction on the quantities of cannabis
1977 and to 40% in 2015. In the poll released
Tuesday, that number was 49%.
The cannabis landscape in the United
States is rapidly changing. Just this year, four
states legalized cannabis for adult use—New
York, New Mexico, Connecticut, and Vir-
ginia—bringing the total number of states
with full legalization to 19. Cannabis is legal
for medical use in nearly every state.
When it comes to regular cannabis con-
sumption, Gallup found that 12% of respon-
dents said they “smoke marijuana,” and this
number, too, is on the rise.
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • 19
Faith Graham
Former Acting CEO, CLA
for which licensees can seek export authori-
sation.
While the CLA has been facilitating
cannabis exports, in the absence of the reg-
ulations, Graham says that the passage of the
measures “will make [the process] easier
and what it will do is widen the scope of
what we do.”
She tells JIS News that the focus now
is on ensuring that the entity is adequately
equipped to facilitate and enable exports in
terms of “the resources that we require, ad-
ditional human resources…the processes.”
“We have been having meetings with
the international airports, Jamaica Customs
Agency (JCA), Plant Quarantine Division,
Jamaica Constabulary Force (JCF), and
other entities. We are preparing joint opera-
tional procedures to ensure there is more ef-
ficiency in carrying out these export
operations,” she says.
To ensure that all cannabis exported are
of the highest quality, the CLA is working
with several agencies to develop standards
for local farmers.
The authority has also partnered strate-
gically with the Scientific Research Council
(SRC), Bureau of Standards Jamaica (BSJ),
The University of the West Indies and the
Mining and Geology Division for the testing
of local cannabis.
The Gallup poll also drilled down into
demographics: more men (16%) than women
(9%) said they smoke cannabis. As far as re-
ligion, those who go to their house of worship
weekly are much less likely (3%) to say they
smoke cannabis, while the number of those
who report “seldom” attending a service is
much higher (19%).
Still, Gallup’s latest poll shows a clear
political divide: 22% of liberals and 15% of
Democrats say they “regularly” consume
cannabis, but only 7% of Republicans and 6%
of conservatives say so.
CDC Issues First
Health Advisory
on Delta-8 THC,
Citing Rise in
Adverse Events
USA:
T he Centers for Disease Control and Pre-
vention (CDC) on Tuesday issued its
first Health Advisory regarding delta-8
THC, a compound derived from cannabis
plants, which has risen in popularity over
the past year.
The advisory focused on the increas-
ing availability of delta-8 THC and related
products, and on the related rise in reported
adverse events, due in part to “insufficient
labeling,” as Cannabis Wire reported. It was
aimed at “public health departments, health-
care professionals, first responders, poison
control centers, laboratories, and the pub-
lic.” Also on Tuesday, the US Food and
Drug Administration published its first
“consumer update” regarding delta-8.
This year, the American Association of
Poison Control Centers began to code delta-
8-specific adverse events, of which there
were 660 between January and July. Of
these, 18% involved hospitalization, 39%
involved individuals under the age of 18,
and 73% took place in “primarily … South-
ern states that have not passed state laws to
allow non-medical adult cannabis use.”
The CDC notes that the first delta-8-
related adverse events likely took place last
September.
———————————-
Saint Lucia Tack-
les Long-Promised
Cannabis Reform
Saint Lucia :
A fter a general election in which cannabis
reform was front and center during the
campaign, lawmakers in Saint Lucia have
passed the island’s first cannabis reform
bill—and more may be on the way.
On August 31, legislators in the coun-
try’s seventeen-member House of Assembly
voted unanimously to approve what is called
the Criminal Records and Rehabilitation
Amendment Bill, which would expunge the
criminal records of anyone convicted of the
possession of thirty grams or less of cannabis.
The bill, which is being pitched by the coun-
try’s recently elected government as part of
the country’s most aggressive criminal jus-
tice realignment in decades, also gained ma-
jority support in an extended session of the
island’s eleven-member Senate, held on Sep-
tember 2.
The reform proposals don’t end there,
however. Following the bill’s passage in both
chambers of Saint Lucia’s bicameral parlia-
ment, the country’s Minister of Health,
Moses Baptiste, called for a vote on another
bill that would go further—amending clauses
in the nation’s Drugs Prevention of Misuse
Act, to remove “criminal liability for the pos-
session of thirty grams or less of cannabis or
cannabis resin.”
20 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM

Myths and Facts about COVID-19 Vaccines

How do I know which COVID-19 vaccine
information sources are accurate?
Accurate vaccine information is critical and
can help stop common myths and rumors. It
can be difficult to know which sources of
information you can trust. Before consider-
ing vaccine information on the Internet,
check that the information comes from a
credible source and is updated on a regular
basis. Learn more about finding credible
vaccine information.
Are all events reported to the Vaccine
Adverse Event Reporting System
(VAERS) caused by vaccination?
No. VAERS data alone cannot deter-
mine if the reported adverse event was
caused by a COVID-19 vaccination. Any-
one can report events to VAERS, even if it
is not clear whether a vaccine caused the
problem. Some VAERS reports may contain
information that is incomplete, inaccurate,
coincidental, or unverifiable. These adverse
events are studied by vaccine safety experts
who look for unusually high numbers of
health problems, or a pattern of problems,
after people receive a particular vaccine.
Recently, the number of deaths re-
ported to VAERS following COVID-19
vaccination has been misinterpreted and
misreported as if this number means deaths
that were proven to be caused by vaccina-
tion. Reports of adverse events to VAERS
following vaccination, including deaths, do
not necessarily mean that a vaccine caused
a health problem.
Can receiving a COVID-19 vaccine
cause you to be magnetic?
No. Receiving a COVID-19 vaccine
will not make you magnetic, including at
the site of vaccination which is usually your
arm. COVID-19 vaccines do not contain in-
gredients that can produce an electromag-
netic field at the site of your injection. All
COVID-19 vaccines are free from metals.
Do COVID-19 vaccines
Will a COVID-19
contain microchips?
vaccine alter my DNA?
No. COVID-19 vaccines do not contain mi-
No. COVID-19 vaccines do not change or
crochips. Vaccines are developed to fight
interact with your DNA in any way. Both
against disease and are not administered to
mRNA and viral vector COVID-19 vac-
track your movement. Vaccines work by
cines deliver instructions (genetic material)
stimulating your immune system to produce
to our cells to start building protection
antibodies, exactly like it would if you were
against the virus that causes COVID-19.
exposed to the disease. After getting vacci-
However, the material never enters the nu-
nated, you develop immunity to that dis-
cleus of the cell, which is where our DNA is
ease, without having to get the disease first.
kept.

Is the mRNA vaccine

considered a vaccine?
Yes. mRNA vaccines, such as Pfizer-BioN-
Tech and Moderna, work differently than
other types of vaccines, but they still trigger
an immune response inside your body. This
type of vaccine is new, but research and de-
velopment on it has been under way for
decades.
The mRNA vaccines do not contain
any live virus. Instead, they work by teach-
ing our cells to make a harmless piece of a
“spike protein,” which is found on the sur-
face of the virus that causes COVID-19.
After making the protein piece, cells display
it on their surface. Our immune system then
recognizes that it does not belong there and
responds to get rid of it. When an immune
response begins, antibodies are produced,
creating the same response that happens in
a natural infection.
In contrast to mRNA vaccines, many
other vaccines use a piece of, or weakened
version of, the germ that the vaccine pro-
tects against. This is how the measles and
flu vaccines work. When a weakened or
small part of the virus is introduced to your
body, you make antibodies to help protect
against future infection.
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
East-West Seed: 'Maradona' F1 hybrid gains popularity in South America
‘New Papaya variety results in higher yield’
P apaya is widely produced in tropical
and subtropical regions. However,
they are capricious and sensitive to dif-
ferent climates. In addition, shipping is a
big challenge for Papaya growers world-
wide. In order to increase the productiv-
ity and improve the quality of the fruits,
East-West Seed Company has intro-
duced a new hybrid Papaya variety,
“Maradona”, to the market.
So far, production in Mexico shows
great potential. The crop manager Jan
Lippstreu and his colleagues introduced
this variety.
Maradona variety becomes
increasingly popular
Mrs. Katherine Panergayo is the Pa-
paya breeder at East-West Seed Com-
pany. She first introduced the breeding
history of the ‘Maradona’ variety. “This
variety was among the first set of test
hybrids developed by East-West Seeds
after it started its Papaya breeding pro-
gram around the year 2000. It takes us 8
years to develop the hybrids and another
3 years of testing and commercial seed
production, before the selected hybrids
are introduced to the market. After we
thoroughly tested its eating quality,
transportability, shelf life and yield,
'Maradona' started gaining popularity
during the last 3 years.”
There are many different varieties of
Papaya in the market. When asked about
the specialty of ‘Maradona’, Mr. Mario
Perches, the Business development man-
ager of the company, said, “First of all,
the firmness of 'Maradona' F1 is compa-
rable to OP 'Maradol' which has enjoyed
long establishment in the Mexican mar-
ket. From the production point of view,
this variety has an excellent disease tol-
erance vs anthracnose and PRSV. Its ex-
tended fruiting also allows higher yield
compared to OP 'Maradol'. And from the
market point of view, this variety has a
longer shelf life compared with other va-
rieties, and the taste of the fruit is very
sweet.
The high cost of controlling
pests and diseases
According to Dr. Enrique Vazquez-Gar-
cia, the technical consultant of East-
West Seed Company in Mexico, the
papaya sector is facing a big challenge.
“In the past 40 years, 80-85% of the pa-
paya production area in Mexico is
planted with different variants of the
open pollinated cultivar 'Red Maradol’.
All these variants of 'Red Maradol' have
a very similar genetic base and over the
years they have lost technical resistances
to pests and diseases, and that is on top
of their loss of tolerance to weather ex-
tremes like extraordinary heat.
For this reason, the main problem
faced by papaya producers in Mexico is
the high production cost involved in
controlling pests and diseases, coupled
with new and emerging phytosanitary
problems, which have an impact on
lower levels of productivity and fruit
quality, and therefore reduced prof-
itability.
“In order to have a solution
for these major production
problems, we devel-
oped the
‘Maradona’ vari-
ety.” Dr. En-
r i q u e
Va z q u e z -
Garcia contin-
ues, “we use
hybrids that are
more resistant to
pests and diseases
and more productive,
such as the 'Maradona' F1
hybrid, which is charac-
terized by its rusticity and
easy handling. The outputs
are in high productivity with
good colletotrichum tolerance. For
retail it has longer shelf life and higher
firmness, resulting in less waste of pro-
duce. And the color and flavor of the
fruits are better liked by consumers.”
Rumor about GMO papayas
“There is a rumor that many people
think papayas are all GMO (genetically
modified, red) produced. But this is not
true.” The crop manager Jan Lipp-
streu said. “The vast majority of papayas
produced and sold around the globe is
not GMO. For us, we use conventional
F1 hybrids breeding. Hybrid and GMO
are not the same.
By the heterosis effect of hybridiza-
tion, we reach apart from extraordinary
yields, a very high level of resistances
and tolerances, combined with excellent
fruit taste and long shelf life. Consumers
do not have to worry about GMO and
can enjoy the health benefits and good
taste of this tropical fruit.”
SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • 21
Good potential in tropical East West Seed
and subtropical regions
Dr. Enrique Vazquez- Garcia believes
East West Seed was established in
1982 in South-East Asia. It was estab-
the best way to convince farmers to lished to support smallholder farmers in
adopt this variety is to let them experi- tropical zones by breeding varieties well
ence the production. “When growers see adapted to their needs and with excellent
the production benefits, seed quality. Later on, the company
traders the superior extended its breeding and marketing ac-
transportability, and tivities to the other continents in the
consumers are tropical belt around the globe. In Latin
happy with the America, the headquarters is in
fruits, more and Guatemala, with R&D in various coun-
more papaya farms tries on the continent.
will choose for
this vari- For more information:
ety.” East West Seed
Be- Dr. Enrique Vazquez-García
sides enrique.vazquez@eastwestseed.com
Mexico, https://www.eastwestseed.com
the pro-
duction
o f
-
Maradona
also sees good re-
sults in other tropical
and subtropical regions in Get publish
Latin America. “Therefore, it can be rec-
ommended everywhere where the mar- for free
ket requires large fruits with good taste editor@theagriculturalist.com
and long shelf life,” Jan Lippstreu said.
22 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM

Knowledge
Route to Improving Peanut Productivity in Jamaica
By Melvin Henry, the most important service of-
Technical Manager, fered by NFJ; providing exactly
Newport Fersan (JA.) Ltd. what is required by the crop in

F or many decades, the parish

of St. Elizabeth has been the
geographic area predominantly
known for peanut production in
Jamaica (over 97%). Whilst the
cultivation of the crop remains a
profitable venture, farmers con-
tinue to experience varied levels
of success. This is due mainly to
the extent to which agricultural
best practices are embraced.
There is a direct correlation
between a farmer’s success and
good agricultural practices.
Newport-Fersan (Jamaica)
Ltd (NFJ) remind our farmers
that the following represents
some key areas which they must
attend to adequately, in order to
realize any level of success:
• Land selection and preparation
• Crop rotation
• Irrigation and drainage
• Pests and Disease management
• Soil fertility management
Soil Fertility Management
For the purpose of this article, we
look at soil fertility management,
which is, the ability of soils to
sustain agricultural plant growth.
One of the first thing to determine
is the fertilizer requirement on a
field by field basis, which is
achieved through a laboratory
soil analysis being conducted.
This practice, commonly known
as Precise Nutrient Management
System (PNMS), remains one of
order to meet a set target yield for
each field.
Whilst a lot of emphasis has
been paid to the available levels
of NPK - Nitrogen, Phosphorus
and Potassium; we want to em-
phasize the critical importance of
additional nutrients such as Cal-
cium, Magnesium, Sulphur, Iron,
Boron, and Manganese amongst
others. A fertilizer regime based
primarily on NPK, will never re-
alize 80 bushels/acre – which
should be your minimum target
yield.
NFJ Ferti-Peanut Blend
NFJ having extensive knowledge
about the prevailing practices in
relation to fertilizer application in
peanut production, coupled with
our database of soil test results ducing areas. Iron deficiency for ing) given adequate attention. It is
from all major peanut producing e.g., can be seen by its yellow dis- II. 440 lbs/acre Ferti-Peanut with this in mind that we invite all
areas; an Improved Blend called coloration of the leaves (chloro- (14-0-32.5-Mg (DDP)-S- our farmers and other interested
Ferti-Peanut was developed. sis), which in turn impacts ME(DDP) + N Max parties, to contact us for your
This approach provides a superior productivity in a negative way. It (35 days after germination) Peanut Programme, in addition to
response to the glaring nutrient must be noted that the microele- III. Fortnightly foliar cocktail of the provision of all the relevant
deficiencies observed from the ments that NFJ uses is technology Manni-Plex Iron and Magnesium technical guidance required to en-
samples analysed over time when known as dried dispersible pow- (1.5tbsp/gallon) liquid fertilizer. sure success.
compared to the traditional NPK der (DDP), microelements that is IV. High Yield Package: At 15, 35
alone approach. attached to each grain/prill of the and 60 days after germination. Newport-Fersan (Ja) Limited
Ferti-Peanut: in addition to fertilizer, which allows for a ho- V. Eradicate: 1-2tsp/gal within 45 Lot 2A / 2B Wherry Wharf
Nitrogen and Potassium contains mogenous spread of microele- days after germination. Complex, Newport East,
a mix of micro and secondary ments in the fertilizer application. VI. Clear-Weh: 1-2 tsp/gal at 14 Kingston 15
macro elements, namely; Magne- This technology is used only by days interval. Tel: 876-967-5815
sium, Boron, Iron and Sulphur; NFJ in Jamaica. In closing, NFJ recognizes Fax: 876-948-9078
which were all found to be defi- that peanut production is a viable info@newportfersan.com
cient based on the results NFJ’s Peanut Programme and profitable venture, once all
analysed from major peanut pro- I. 110 lbs/acre 14-28-14 (at plant- agronomic best practices are

Faster turnaround
for fisheries licences
and registration
KINGSTON, September 15, 2021 (JIS):

S takeholders in the fisheries sector will soon see a major reduction

in the turnaround time for the processing of licence and registration
applications.
The Agriculture and Fisheries Ministry is working with the Trans-
formation Implementation Unit (TIU) in the Ministry of Finance and
the Public Service to overhaul the existing manual process involved in
providing licences and registration to stakeholders, and replacing it
with a modern, efficient, and technologically driven system.
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Floyd Green, said that under
the current procedure, it can take months after submission of applica-
tions and payment of fees, for applicants to receive their licences.
Under the new system, which will be web-based, persons will be
able to use their mobile devices to apply to be registered and licensed.
“What we want to move to is real-time application and to reduce this
process that takes… sometimes, unfortunately, months for something
that can happen within a week,” Minister Green said.
“Persons can apply on the phone, and we’ll be able to send your
licences to your phone, so you can have that with you at any time,” he
noted. He said that “training will be a very integral aspect of the roll-
out of the system, and we will be going out into the nooks and crannies
to train our fishers to use this system”.
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • 23
24 • THE AGRICULTURALIST • SEPTEMBER-OCTOBER 2021 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM