In response to past agricultural losses due to Hurricane Beryl, Jamaica’s Agriculture Minister Floyd Green is advocating for increased local animal feed production to enhance food security and reduce import reliance. He suggests public/private partnerships to cut costs associated with feed imports, citing significant financial expenditures on imports in recent years. Addressing previous feed shortages is vital to protecting local livestock and meat supplies.
In light of the damages inflicted by Hurricane Beryl in 2024, Jamaican agriculture officials are taking proactive measures to avert similar losses in the future. Minister of Agriculture Floyd Green emphasizes the need to enhance local animal feed production to bolster the nation’s food security, thereby reducing dependence on imports. This initiative aims to strengthen Jamaica’s agricultural output and promote domestic food resilience.
Minister Green advocates for the establishment of public/private partnerships to alleviate the financial burdens associated with animal feed imports. Current statistics indicate that, in 2023, Jamaica imported animal feed worth approximately US$11.19 million from the United States. Furthermore, data from the Statistical Institute of Jamaica reveals that the country’s total import expenditure from January to July 2023 amounted to about US$4.44 billion.
Notably, Green highlighted the feed shortages experienced in 2022, which adversely affected the pig and poultry industries in Jamaica. The situation has raised alarms due to potential livestock losses and the resulting decrease in meat supplies, necessitating urgent reforms in animal feed production to safeguard the agricultural sector.
The discourse surrounding Jamaica’s agricultural strategy underscores the critical importance of enhancing local animal feed production for food security. The focus on public/private partnerships and reducing import reliance highlights the government’s commitment to bolstering domestic agriculture. As the nation navigates post-hurricane recovery, these strategies are pivotal for preventing future agricultural losses and ensuring a sustainable food supply.
Original Source: www.stabroeknews.com
