Revive St Thomas’s agricultural production
Dear Editor,
With the world facing a food crisis stemming from the novel coronavirus pandemic and the war between Ukraine and Russia, Jamaica still has the Micheal Manley ideologly that we need to grow what we eat and eat what we grow, and St Thomas, deprived of development over the years, has the potential to play a crucial role in the agricultural sector it once dominated.
Jamaica imports wheat, corn, cereal, soybean oil, and vegetable oil for household consumption, manufacturing, and tourism.
Sugar as a sweetner is becoming oudated; consequently, that has led to the demise of our sugar industry, which was once seen as a prime export to places like Europe.
While cane sugar can no longer be considered a mainstay or even a small proportion of Jamaica’s foreign currency inflow, the sugar lands are still available.
In my neck of the woods, St Thomas, I have been saying for years that it’s time to use those sugar lands to plant other crops.
While I am no farmer, my layman’s knowledge has informed me that corn is a relative of sugar cane. Therefore, if sugar cane flourished over the years in St Thomas, corn, for example, is a viable alternative.
Corn production, again in my layman’s knowledge, would reduce importation of derivatives from corn, such as corn oil and animal feed. Significantly, mass production would provide employment as well as economic and social mobility.
Yes, they will steal some of the corn, but how much of the sugar cane was stolen?
I also theorise that acres of cane lands in St Thomas could also be put into vegetable farming, with irrigation from the Plantain Garden and Johnson rivers.
The agro parks in Yallahs are a prime example of an agricultural vision that needs to be expanded. Now is the time to revive St Thomas’s agricultural potential.
We are seeing improved roads and hearing of tourism infrastructure being planned for St Thomas, which is welcome news despite such promises being made from my granny was a child.
Let not the people of my parish be mere employees in these resorts. Let agricultural development provide a significant portion of the population with employment so that they, too, are able to provide services and thus earn from the development of the parish.
Deon Green
London, England greenyranks@yahoo.com