National Fair Trade coordinator for Dominica Amos Wiltshire is giving Government two thumbs up for their efforts to assist farmers in Dominica.
Agriculture Minister Matthew Walter on Tuesday outlined several measures to be introduced by the Government in support of the banana sector under a Banana Recovery and Sustainability Plan.
The provision of a $1 million programme through the Agricultural Industrial & Development (AID) Bank for lending to farmers on a 50 percent loan/50 percent grant scheme at about $2.5 percent interest is part of the initiatives.
Wiltshire said this is a move in the right direction.
“I am satisfied to hear that something is happening for the farming sector. Although one millions not a lot, it can help us. I would like farmers to take the advantage to go out there and do what they can do. I believe that the money can do something for us in the sector,” he said.
Wiltshire says the ministry and government should be thanked for the initiative.
The government need to be given some credit for trying to keep the banana industry alive. However, the industry will never be the same as it was when it was being protected by the LOME convention. While bananas could be a good cash crop I don’t think we should depend on it to be the main stay of the economy.
Dominica farmers need to be educated about keeping their most precious asset LAND with
respect to land sales to the foreigners
I just need to know that the AID bank will give the farms the opportunity to get on their feet before they expect payment. They will need to start making money first before they are able to start making payments. I believe that this provision can be made. I do hope that the interest will be applied on a reducing balance as well. Please AID bank do not be eager to declare the farmers loan a bad debit so that you can confiscate their land. Please let them get on a good footing. You should also have persons in place to give them financial advice so that you can secure your “asset” i.e the loan.
The banana industry is a risky business we are one of the first countries in the hemisphere to be attached by a huricane, the modest investiture may be a good start, but for an industry uundermarketed to the principals buyers, we cannot invest so little in an industry has dwindled by the vigourous downturn in market share. We cannot afford to go into ths sector, without a fierce sustainable market demand and to also aid farmers with the catstrophic insurance suplements necessary for the inevitable. We must engage futture markets to ensure local farmers enjoy a fair return on a perishable product that has so much risks. Th agricultrual education sector must also be fierce at ensuring that hybrid growth patterns are implemmented and natural resources are exabated to raise production cylces. We beleive our geography is within that scope to surpass all previous levels of production in the past. As our natural resources are leveraged within that framework, not only within the banana industry but in the larger agricultural sectors on a whole, we can expect to have and sustain a much more stronger gdp.
I must commend Dominica Government and Dominicans for taking farming very seriously. It’s the driving force which determines the self sustainability of a country.