Agriculture sector not dead Drigo insists

Drigo is the new Minister of Agriculture
Drigo is the new Minister of Agriculture

“The agricultural sector is alive in Dominica.”

This is according to new Minister for Agriculture, Johnson Drigo.

He said, however, a lot of work has to be done to improve the sector.

“It’s just that there (is) room for improvement in everything,” Drigo told DNO. “The agricultural industry is a very large industry in Dominica and it will continue to play an integral role in the overall development of Dominica.”

He said a report will be made available in the upcoming year of actual agricultural production in Dominica.

“We will be able to tell the Dominican public our production in yams, in dasheen because there are families, as we speak, who depend on agriculture, who have benefited from agriculture, who continue to send their children to study overseas through agriculture, so the agricultural sector is alive,” he said.

The new minister said he has been meeting with various departments in order to get a better understanding of how these departments operate and “getting a better understanding of the work that they do, the challenges that they face, and I have been called to the task.”

He stated also that his ministry is looking at increasing production as well as an increase in the marketing of agricultural produce.

“There will be synergies, we will be working with the Ministry of Trade. We are looking forward in taking advantage of the regional market,” Drigo said. “We intend to purchase a vessel to transport our goods to the neighbouring islands. I will be working very closely with extension and the farmer’s group (s) and we will be working with structures such as the NAO office (National Authorizing Office) of Dominica so that we will implement programs coming from the BAM (Banana Accompanying Measure), you know there are several components of the BAM which include, the Feeder Road Program. There is also the expansion of the banana and plantain sub-sector.”

Drigo mentioned that his ministry would be dealing with the issue of Black Sigatoka, “once and for all”.

A special program will also be introduced for farmers in 2015, “where they will be involved in targeted production,” the minister stated.

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22 Comments

  1. Noke
    December 23, 2014

    Its not dead, but by the time you finish with it, the barely breathing corpse will be ready for burial.

  2. Concerned
    December 23, 2014

    Drigo is a very resourceful person in the Social Work field so he will work better with troubled and discouraged children and teens. This Agricultural Ministry is too serious for the Man. I won’t blame him if he buries Agriculture after the first two years. That’s just not the man’s thing. Period. We need more competent individuals to work for us.

  3. truththe
    December 23, 2014

    Yea sir, you should not have accepted this ministry , for within, you should know that you are incapable to handle this Minitry . Mr Walter could not hadle it so what you think you can do better than him. My friend you think Amos can help you when he destroyed fair trade man, Skerritt will fire you, remember his words on the swearing in ceremony. Start by putting Castle Bruce estate on its feet and repair the feeder roads. Do you realize you have the entire Nation on your back, farmers etc. Be assured its not the labourites of Castle Bruce who are in red clothes and shouting labour. All must eat brother that is Agriculture.

  4. Shameless
    December 23, 2014

    Ok Mr. John-Dont-Know, if agriculture is not dead then it LAGONEE! After you all daycarlay what should have been the back bone of our economy and replaced it with VAT (ala Ian Douglas, 2014), they send you to put the final nail in the coffin. Although your father was/ is a small time farmer you sir does not have a clue as to where to take the industry. Frankly speaking you are the wrong choice to lead such a ministry that is a national security interest. However, if you are smart the first thing you would do is review the UWP Manifesto for some brilliant ideas.

    But sir, with due respect I will boldy proclaim you as the BIGGEST SQUARE PEG in the roundest small hole. And tell your bro to STOP pomnaying in government vehicle on tax payers already broken back because he is NOT a minister :twisted: . As a reminder sir, Change Will Continue To Manifest Itself In My Land!

    Asertive, NOT Aggressive! :twisted:

  5. Francisco Telemaque
    December 23, 2014

    “will be working with structures such as the NAO office (National Authorizing Office) of Dominica so that we will implement programs coming from the BAM (Banana Accompanying Measure) ”

    All sweet sounding word, with no meaning at all, the names above dose not mean squat doodle! Just talk as usual, The banana industry is dead, and will never return to the days of the 1960’s and 1970’s. You can run your mouth as much as you wish, you will not find a market to sell large amounts of bananas., nor any agricultural products produce in Dominica.

    You cannot depend on the European Market, via the British anymore, the Windward islands no longer enjoys Provencal treatment on the European Market. You people have blinded yourselves to the realities of life, you can talk agriculture as much as you like to appease the dumb Labor Party supports who will spend the rest of their life hoping that they will once again be able to make a good living out of farming; that is not going to happen ever again in this life; what you this so called minister of agriculture is doing here is playing in the mind of the unfortunate farmers who are holding on to a dream.

    A dream is something which one cannot hold unto, we dream the same dream all night long, and by the time we wake in the morning we scarcely remember any part of the dream, false hope is what you are giving to the people. NAO/BAM is nothing more than baloney: words which are complied to intimidate the mind of the illiterate, and the semi illiterate. NAO/BAM when the idiots of Dominica hear such nonsense they will believe that plenty is happening, while they stave!

    You can talk all the garbage you wish I say to depend on agriculture for a living is like asking people to commit suicide in order to save themselves from hunger. Agriculture, agriculture, agriculture: what about industrialization, industrialization, industrialization? Has any of you dumb, stupid members of the Labor Party ever look beyond agriculture? A country cannot survive economically, on the resurfacing of roads, and the building of new roads which does not generate any revenue.

    The sale of tanya, dashine yam, green figs, and plantain, will not help the people, if agriculture was the way to go we would not have so many farms out of business in America, the Russians and Chines would still be into agriculture. Dominicans have no ambition to move beyond the status of peasants

    If we have no revenue generator, the country will remain poor forever; industrializing the nation means we will have something to sell outside of the country, hence bring money into the country, that is what the larger prosperous nations of the world engages into that is why they are so rich! Keep talking agriculture until the day the bottom of the economy collapsed. I have never encountered a nation whose government is as stupid; that all they indulge into is talking fart!

    Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

  6. Titiwi
    December 23, 2014

    Well, that is what the people voted for and that is what they get, A Dry Go that turns out to be a Wet Run.

  7. December 22, 2014

    I am in agreement with Mr. Drigo, the agriculture Industry is not dead, but I personally as a citizen thinks that it is in a coma as to whether Mr. Drigo is up to the task at this stage , it looks doubtfull.. I as a citizen of the Commonwealth of Dominica is declaring that we need Bi- Partisan support for the industry. Let the Govt. meet the opposition on the bridge that spans the political divide. It is a matter of National interest but I anticipate a huge stone of an obstacle to that ideal and that is madame Speaker. I believe that she is truly a hindrence to Bi- Partisanship in the national interest

  8. ting
    December 22, 2014

    tell that to calibishie, woodfordhill, wesley and marigot farmers. HAHAHAHAHHAHAHHHAHAAH

  9. I MUST BE STUPID
    December 22, 2014

    Johnson Drigo, you have so many things to fix in the agricultural sector that i truly believe you might die before you even make a dent. The BAM that you spoke about is marking time. The money is not being used as quickly and efficiently as it is supposed to be used. In 1 year only 1 million dollars have been used. So if we got 54 million dollars and we using 1 million a year we will finish using bam money in the year 2067 Johnson Drigo by that time your bones will not be good to make souflette. Before the farmers even start benefitting from BAM all you done higher a cronie as communications specialist, SMH. You all neglected the struggling banana and plantain farmers. While Black Sigatoka was taking its toll you all were busy buying votes. Black Sigatoka needs the spray treatment of fungicide on time which is like every 2 weeks but the spray cycle is repeated when you guys dream about it. Farmers are expected to trim the infected leaves every 2 weeks but you all have never subsidized the price of fertilizer that the plants need to speed up new leaf formation. The last time a spray cycle was done was somewhere in July. While St.Lucia is realizing record production and of course income you guys are still talking about dealing with black sigatoka once and for all . Mwen ke vwere zor. There are farmers who are already repaying loans for investments for that abattoir that shows no signs of opening.. Farmers still do not have easy access to funding from the financial institutions. Because even if you all put money in these institutions for them the institutions then put their own regulations making it almost impossible to access it. Farmers in the Kalinago territory do not have any means of accessing these funding because they have no collateral to go to the banks. Extension officers are still not getting fair duty free concessions to buy 4 wheel drive vehicles even when you guys know they have the worst roads to drive to get to do their work. You all have a DEXIA that is functioning way below its capacity. Buying more foreign products than they are exporting. My boy i can go on and on but Dominicans doh like to read so take it easy. Like I said mwen ke vwere zor.Tanto tanto

  10. yoy
    December 22, 2014

    nou fini bat

  11. December 22, 2014

    Putting Hon. Drigo to head the Ministry of Agriculture is having no respect for Agriculture and the farmers. Agriculture is already dead. They placed him there to bury it. Hon. Drigo’s forte is in Youth Development. The government needs to stop putting square pegs in round holes. No offence to you Hon. Drigo, deep down, all of you know it’s true.

    • Francisco Telemaque
      December 23, 2014

      How can you call such people honorable?

      Honorable what; honorable who?

      Francisco Etienne-Dods Telemaque

  12. Young Farmer
    December 22, 2014

    Optimistically thinking he is right, the agricultural sector is indeed alive in Dominica. However realistically speaking, it is 6 feet tall standing in 5 feet 5 inches of water with an anchor attached to its feet currently. He is also correct, but with small typographical errors, that the agricultural industry is **(supposed to be)** one of the largest industries in Dominica and it *(needs)* to play and integral role in the overall development of Dominica. The article overall is, in my opinion is a slight bit sugar coated, just enough that certain readers may miss or overlook how urgent the message is…. We need to let the people know the raw facts, and the plan to move forward to solution, not hide behind our own shadow as a leader instilling in followers that its not so bad.

    I personally think our main concerns should be land accessability (feeder roads), training farmers on disease prevention and treatment, getting youth involved with training at the entry level aswell, diversification, and putting incentives in place to make the (healthy & prosperous production) that we all wish, but dont aspire to have. All of this should be in bloom before a “cargo ship” a cargo ship with limited to no production will only be another wasted investment which attracts political milage around election time…..

  13. anonymous2
    December 22, 2014

    You can tell he knows nothing about farming on this island. Another Mathew Walter? God help the farmers.

  14. Dawn
    December 22, 2014

    Oh please Joe Yes- what do you know?

  15. 2 sense
    December 22, 2014

    Congratulations! However unless You implement programs to add value to our agricultural produce all this is a waste of time. please Mr Minister You must encourage the proper use of Government vehicles, starting on You. Your brother who isn’t a government employee is seen driving the Government vehicle that is assigned to You at all hours of the day.

    • be responsible
      December 22, 2014

      ang guess who paying for the gas? us the tax payers.

      • my 2 cents
        December 22, 2014

        @be responsible, you’re a flipping idiot!! You seriously think gov’t is paying for gas Johno puts in his vehicle?! Dcas level of braindead fools is worse than I thought!

    • my 2 cents
      December 22, 2014

      @2 sense. and that you vex about?! Hahaha

      • letitflow
        December 22, 2014

        Boss are you an IDI..ORT?

  16. No Nonsense
    December 22, 2014

    Mr didn’t finish school man… But he’s right, it’s not dead; it’s decayed.

  17. Thor
    December 22, 2014

    You may want to start with improving the feeder roads so that farmers can get better access to their farms. Talking alone will not so it.

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