SUNDAY 23 APRIL, 2017 – UWI TODAY
3
Re-energising
AGRICULTURE
Back to our roots
Every society goes through
at least one moment when
its challenges expose the need for drastic change. Some
thrive and rise above the challenges, others falter, and
unfortunately, many are unable to achieve the cultural,
social and economic transformations.
Trinidad and Tobago had such a moment at the dawn
of independence as it faced the challenge of designing its
future. Post-independence, national planners advanced a
strategy for industrial development built on rents to come
from the oil and gas sectors. At that time the energy sector
accounted for 80% of exports and 28% of Government
revenue.
The plan came to fruition with the formation of the
National Gas Company in 1975 and the establishment of
the Point Lisas Industrial Estate in 1980, now the largest
such estate in the Caribbean. This occurred in the nick of
time, just as a drop in global oil prices triggered a prolonged
economic recession. Described as a bold move by experts,
the Trinidad and Tobago model for gas monetisation has
been a major contributor to its prosperity. It established a
template for nations such as Ghana and Tanzania to follow.
One of its side effects however, was its contribution to
what some call “Dutch disease,” reflected in this instance
to less attention paid to, and the consequent decline in the
economic role of agriculture.
Here we are again at a crucial moment in our history
faced with an economic downturn, social instability
and an uncertain global environment. As we grapple
with this new normal, we face the irony that one of the
solutions to recovery may actually mean going back to
where our economy started, that is, with agriculture. This
is in keeping with Caribbean Nobel Laureate Sir Arthur
Lewis’ industrialisation strategy, articulated 60 years ago.
Agriculture, and the value chain of a well-articulated food
production sector, can open up enormous opportunities
for enhancing food security and powering the region
out of the current economic recession. However, like the
Trinidad and Tobago Gas Model, the Agriculture and Food
Production Model requires new ideas, innovation and
new technology for it to significantly result in the kind of
diversified and resilient society that Trinidad and Tobago
and the Caribbeanwill need to thrive in the changing global
environment. The agriculture sector now contributes very
little to national GDP, a consequence, in part, of a culture
that has become far too reliant on a multi-billion-dollar
food import industry. Most importantly, initiatives to
date for making the nation food secure are nowhere near
fruition.
Two of the country’s major players have begun
accelerating the revitalisation of agriculture and food
production. In early March, I led a team of UWI experts in
ameeting with Senator the Honorable Clarence Rambharat,
the Minister of Agriculture. This was an opportunity to
engage the Minister on a host of issues and express the
university’s desire to work more closely with Government
to explore agriculture solutions and create opportunities
PROFESSOR BRIAN COPELAND
Campus Principal
FROM THE PRINCIPAL
EDITORIAL TEAM
CAMPUS PRINCIPAL
Professor Brian Copeland
DIRECTOR OF MARKETING AND COMMUNICATIONS
Dr Dawn-Marie De Four-Gill
EDITOR (Ag.)
Joel Henry
CONTACT US
The UWI Marketing and Communications Office
Tel: (868) 662-2002, exts. 82013 / 83997 or email:
for the nation. The Minister himself expressed interest
in collaboration so that we could “avoid overlaps and
duplication, maximise the use and deployment of our
respective resources,” and “face the farming and fishing
communities with one purpose.” The University looks
forward to future collaborations that must also include
the agribusiness subsector for forging the “triple helix” of
government, business and academia that world experience
has shown to be necessary for a robust and sustainable
agriculture sector.
In the triple helix, The UWI will bring to the table
innovations, new technology, technical assistance,
education and training.The private sector will support with
capital, market insight, andmanufacturing and distribution
expertise. The State will be the overall facilitator since it
provides incentive programmes and strategic interventions.
State intervention can reduce the bureaucratic bottlenecks
that hinder business development. This triple helix
partnership will engender focus, vigilance, productivity and
solvency, all necessary to transform our social economy.
In March, The UWI held the
techAGRI Expo 2017
, an
event of the Faculty of Food and Agriculture to raise the
profile of agriculture and to familiarise the nation with
the opportunities for innovation, entrepreneurship and
commercialisation in the sector. The Expo offered, inter
alia, lab tours, display and sale of farm produce, visits to
the National Herbarium which is physically located in the
Faculty, demonstrations of chocolate making, appropriate
hydroponic systems, as well as other examples of
agricultural innovation that can be adopted locally. Judging
by the large crowds of secondary students and members of
the public, it was a huge success!
techAGRI Expo 2017
was
spearheaded by Dr. Wayne Ganpat, the Dean of the Faculty,
who has long been a specialist and advocate in the area of
Agricultural Economics and Extension. I join with the rest
of the UWI team in congratulating Dr. Ganpat and all staff
of the Faculty of Food and Agriculture for this success.
The Expo brought back memories of the early days
of the Faculty of Agriculture and the even earlier days of
the Imperial College of Tropical Agriculture (ICTA), its
predecessor. ICTAwas responsible for instruction, research
and advisory in agriculture throughout the British Empire;
it was recognised as the world leader in research on pests
and diseases of tropical crops, plant genetics, soil chemistry
and soils science. Indeed, I am told, and yet to verify, that
the Florida citrus industry owes a lot to the work done at
ICTA. Although the original focus of ICTA was on export
crops such as cocoa, sugarcane, bananas for the UK for
further processing, it later started to address issues related
to local food crops. Its R&D prowess was, nonetheless,
unquestionable. The capability that once existedmust now
be re-energised and harnessed for the benefit of the people
of the Caribbean.
I cannot endwithout mention of Sir DerekWalcott, one
of the Caribbean’s greatest sons, who passed away onMarch
17, 2017. One could easily write a thousand words about his
accomplishments. Even the outpouring of sentiment from
around the globe after his passing, does not fully reflect the
extent of his acclaim. I wish to highlight a more intimate
Walcott, our Walcott, who made it his mission to help the
people of the Caribbean find their identity. That was the
invaluable gift he bestowed upon us, a gift we must honour
by going out into the world in confidence and power,
strengthening our reputation, just as he did. May he rest
in peace and may this legacy of daring and confidence be
an example to future generations.
