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FARMERS WHO DO SUBSISTENCE FARMING WILL HAVE THEIR INFORMATION COMPILED THROUGH THIS EXERCISE
Anew initiative that Attorney-General and Minister for Economy Aiyaz Sayed-Khaiyum announced for the agriculture sector is the agriculture census. Government has allocated $4.5 million for this.
What will this do?
The agriculture census will compile the data from around the country on farmers. All types of farmers, who do subsistence farming, how many dalo farmers are in the country, where tomatoes and cabbage are grown, the number of pineapple farmers we have. All these information will be compiled through this exercise.
Why is this important?
This will give Government a clear idea how many farmers we have and what crops are produced and the quantity produced around the country.
In times of natural disasters, Government will know which areas would affect the supply of which crops. And while distributing seeds, they would also know which farmer should receive which seeds and seedlings and the capacity they have to utilise it. This will also give Government data on what sorts of policies should be implemented in coming years and what types of assistance different farmers will need.
Other initiatives:
Committee on Better Utilisation of Land (CBUL) which supports work on renewal of expiring agricultural leases and improves access to land for productive purposes has been allocated $6.9million.
The Agriculture Marketing Authority Capital Grant which delivers services to farmers that focus on providing a stable market and procure crops such as dalo, yaqona, yams and coconut and marine products such as fish and seaweed at farm gates has been allocated $5.6million.
The total budget for the Ministry of Agriculture is $78.7million