The private sector needs to be more effectively harnessed to the task of agricultural development, according to Earl Jarrett, General Manager of Jamaica National Building Society (JNBS).
Private initiative can bring about innovation and provide capital, as well as risk mitigation in the sector, he said last week (Oct 27). Mr. Jarrett was chairing the inaugural Private Sector Dialogue at the Week of Agriculture and Rural Life of the Americas attended by Delegations from 33 Member States of the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) at the Holiday Inn in Montego Bay.
Among services that should be provided by the private sector is greater access to Internet facilities, given the pervasiveness of information communication technologies (ICT), Mr. Jarrett told the opening session. “We could also consider whether the State, in partnership with cellular phone providers, could offer greater ICT access to persons at the base of the pyramid through the use of this technology.”
He pointed out that there were small farmers in Jamaica who are able to confirm sale of their produce to clients via cell phones, make their deliveries, do their shopping in townships, and return to their farm on the same day.
“What we have here is a simple example of improved time and motion,” Mr. Jarrett said. This comes about as small farmers identify and establish markets, serve their clients efficiently in a one-day turn around process and reduce their marketing costs.
During the Dialogue, the participants sought to identify key policies and programs that could be used to tackle the difficulties and tap the opportunities through public and private interventions. These concepts played a key role in the 5th hemispheric meeting of Ministers of Agriculture of the Americas and the 15th regular meeting of the Inter-American Board of Agriculture, which formed a part of the Week of Agriculture.
At the closing session of the Private Sector Dialogue, Mr. Jarrett played a critical role in summarising the findings which had been reached. Among the issues he addressed, he said that an accelerated land titling process, agricultural insurance, innovative financing mechanisms, such as the factoring of farmers’ receivables; and stronger measures against praedial larceny were important requirements for the sector.
Business organizations and individual representatives from Brazil, El Salvador, Trinidad & Tobago, Chile, Canada, Jamaica, Costa Rica, Mexico, Barbados and Saint Lucia attended the discussions.
Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Christopher Tufton, highlighted the critical role of the private sector in building the food security of the nations of the hemisphere. The Government of Jamaica was particularly concerned that a Private Sector Dialogue be held parallel to the meetings of the government delegates during the Week.
“Jamaica wants to drive home this message at the highest levels in order to ratify the preponderant role of the private sector”, Minister Tufton said. The Minister was host of the Week of Agriculture and Rural Life of the Americas, which ended on Saturday, October 31.
