‘Take solid steps for food security’
‘Cut hurdles in agriculture sector’
“WHAT did we gain from this crisis? Of course, I do not mean the current benefit and bid to take stock of the positives, especially the effectiveness of the social protection system from institutions, facilities and laws, which has proven beneficial and important in experience,” columnist Mohammad Al-Motny wrote for Annahar daily.
“Rather this article is mostly about monitoring the negativities, because through monitoring and following the same, we will be in a position to provide appropriate health environment that might be required to guarantee the existence and fostering of positive aspects, particularly since we know that the corruption itself looks like the epidemic which we are currently living under unless the former is isolated, it would have spread more and more and here let us talk about the food security, for instance.
“As a matter of fact, Kuwait enjoys a new system allowing individuals to obtain government land for agricultural purposes and livestock breeding that at the end of the day can contribute to the provision of food security for the society.
“Well, it is true at the level of paper or theoretical side, but let us reflect it on the reality, which is what matters. In Kuwait, there are more than eight thousand holdings between agricultural and animal part which have been incorrectly distributed to satisfy politicians, others still out of control and as such benefit nothing, while the remaining small part is still involved in resisting the market and the domination of the suppliers, etc.
“Today’s talk is about the return of the State’s control of food security projects, especially agricultural acquisitions, which is an important talk, but it is a very late measure and will not bear fruit due to our past experiences and the government’s seriousness in continuing, which is doubtful, and it will not benefit in the current period, specifically, decisions to withdraw some agricultural acquisitions, the issue needs to be more comprehensive , surgical treatment and intervention.
“I say it honestly and directly that the government’s doubtful continuity about controlling the issue of agricultural acquisitions, we need a procedure that radically solves the problem, which is for the government to take charge of itself today without waiting for tomorrow.
“This can be done by setting up companies similar to the Kuwait Flour and Bakeries Company, either to be affiliated with the public sector or to set up several public joint stock companies that provide everything food security, given the fact that the latter requires a big central effort, and this means that the individual experiences of farmers and breeders to provide these needs even if the state controls and tries to assess the situation.
“Yes, some people may reject such an idea motivated by their non-belief in the role of the State and its intervention in the economic affairs, but it is needless to say that neither the place nor the time will allow us to be involved in intellectual arguments or differences, because today we are before a failed agricultural and industrial experiment or may be such experiment (failure) was intentionally created by a third party due to the weakness of surveillance, as such we are currently in an imperative need to move, because we obviously need to hasten and provide our food requirements and this will not be realized neither theoretically nor realistically through surveillance which the government has said it is committed to.
“In Kuwait, today we badly need to copy the experience of Kuwait Flour and Bakeries Company in more than one food field and in more than one company with which the government is committed to provide facilities and procedures in a comprehensive manner, and we will not disagree that they are public sector companies or joint stock companies that citizens subscribe to and provide them with a good investment income with the private sector participation with the government owning shares and partial ownership of the capital, and if we get out of the Corona crisis by implementing this approach, we will be winners – so it is time to be optimistic.”
Also:
“‘Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country’. These are the words of John F. Kennedy and in terms of our food security in any country it may be more important than even military security. Stability in food security is a rule that countries rely on to raise the degree of stability,” columnist Yousuf Awadh Al-Azmi wrote for Al-Qabas daily.
“The developed countries in agriculture and the industries that support them have a self-sufficiency that protects them from the sudden expense of time. In order to expand the sector and achieve the desired goals, there are agricultural products that are strategic commodities that countries work to ensure that they are present in the markets around the clock and in reassuring quantities, because their shortage may cause confusion to consumers and the consequences that follow.
“For us, the ‘onion crisis’ is the best proof. Is it reasonable to ignore the cultivation of this strategic agricultural product in the country and discourage those who provide it to the market in sufficient quantities and at reasonable prices?
“The land in Kuwait is fertile and suitable for agriculture, and this agricultural production has proven that covered the country’s needs of this production. It is important that attention be paid to science and technology that transforms obstacles from weather, soil and water to creating an appropriate and fertile environment for production and agriculture.
“In this context, we have heard about farmers who planted cardamom and coffee, and they produced various crops, and the development of the so-called hydroponics, which was a great success, has even become, with simple efforts and initiatives, to transform who (Kuwaitis) can or desires to produce them on the roof of the house transforming their roofs into a crop garden, even if only for the adequacy of the house, until the slogan ‘We grow, we eat’ reaches everyone.
“It seems that there is no harmony between the minister concerned with the Public Authority for Agricultural Affairs and Fish Resources (PAAAFR) because the current situation revealed frankly that the administrative imbalance at the top of the ladder impedes work and development initiatives, as well as a review of the so-called food security farms.”
“With the fall in the wave of coronavirus, many people in Europe have started talking about the fate of the European Union, especially after the collapse of the health system in Italy. The Italian Prime Minister had announced his frustration amid increasing accusations by Italy that their European brothers did not rise up quickly to assist the country even though they took necessary steps to assist in curbing the spread of the virus to other countries,” Dr. Hayla Hamad Al-Mukaimi wrote for Al-Nahar daily.
“The arrival of a rescue plane from China was depicted by many as a measure to rescue Italians from the fate of darkness since the rate of deaths due to COVID-19 had increased.
“However, important questions to ask are: Is it true that Europe did not really offer any assistance to Italy during this health crisis? If truly assistance was offered, would it be enough to curb spread of the virus? What role did Italian politicians play? Did they unite in fighting this pandemic or did they initially try to use it for settling political scores? How about the Chinese team that went to Italy? Why weren’t they able to rescue Italy from the crisis?
“In our attempt to find unbiased answers to these questions, we should realize that both parties share blame for the crisis in Italy. Quick intervention by the European Union did not necessarily mean successful prevention of the spread of COVID-19 in Europe. It is obvious that the European Union offered assistance which was considered inadequate by Italy due to the level of seriousness of the crisis there. Italian politicians played a pivotal role in wrong management of the crisis due to which Italy fell victim to politicization of the virus from the beginning. A similar scenario nearly happened in Kuwait at the beginning of the fight against the virus, as many people tried to make it a sectarian crisis.”
“The 19 respected personalities chosen by the Amiri Diwan to present views on the Constitution, economic and social files and the elections are trusted men among the people of Kuwait. We wish them success in the difficult task assigned to them,” columnist Talal Al-Saeed wrote for AlSeyassah daily.
“Their acceptance of this mandate and their bearing of national responsibility are manifestations of their keenness to serve the supreme interests of their country. We are sure that their hearts are on their homeland, and that they will put the interests of the homeland and the citizens in their eyes despite this difficult or almost impossible task.
“Time is not the same as writing a Constitution, approving it or drafting an election law before the amendment because people are not the same people, nor the demographics the same as those of the early 1960s.
“The pressure and hurtful criticisms will come to these committees. Nevertheless, simply comparing them with the founding fathers is unjust for them. People will be divided between supporters and opponents, and there will be more opponents than supporters.”