Prime Minister Gaston Browne wants the country to ramp of agricultural production in anticipation for possible food shortage that may result from the spread of COVID-19.
Many factories around the world have come to a halt and production in several industries have slowed as cities and even countries are placed on lockdown to contain the spread of the new coronavirus.
“Now God forbid, and it disrupts trade and we are unable to get food into the country within maybe a three-week period, it’s gonna be mayhem and we have to anticipate a worst case scenario even though we pray that there will be a vaccine or some solution within the short run, I mean, within a matter of maybe weeks or months even though the projections are that, you know, there may not be a vaccine after all of the different processes before next year”, Prime Minister Browne told state media.
The government wants agricultural production to increase in both the public and private sectors.
“We’ve asked them, in the case of the police force to get the prisoners to increase their production and we will make additional resources to them. We’ve also asked the soldiers in the Antigua & Barbuda Defence Force, through the Commander, to increase their production as well”, Browne revealed.
“We intent to increase the production within our schools, we are asking our farmers as well to ramp up their efforts to grow more food and even the government’s farm at Diamonds, we will also be ramping up, we’ll be growing more food”, he said.
Residents are also being encouraged to do their part by creating backyard gardens at their homes.
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Only now you all realize that agriculture should be a priority. Too little too late. I remember the permanent secretary of the Ministry of Agriculture from a few years back declaring proudly to an FAO official that we import everything from America so food security was not a priority. Sadly so many years later and that seems to have not changed. Hope this is an eye opener and that policies to strengthen our agricultural sector will finally be implemented
Yep
Plant up every areas ppl .Government need to lease out land for a short term now to ppl to plant.God Antigua.
We must plant everywhere food will grow, starting today.
It’s about time we got serious with agriculture in this place…sad to know it tool a pendemic for the gov’t to realize it’s importance now importing will probably become a problem, but nevertheless good thought,getting it off to that scale would be a good move…let’s just hope it not talk only & moves are actually made in this regard…and now you mentioned it let’s not loose sight of food security ever again & get back to the ad about buying local most importantly practise what we preach
FOOD….
SHELTER….
clothing….
Once these are put, in the proper perspective, the strength of a Nation will be deeply rooted, and can withstand most disasters, natural and man made.
In 1999, while the former PM Hon. Lester B. Bird was visiting Washington, DC, for a meeting at the OAS; the Embassy of Antigua, Barbuda & Redonda, under Ms. Lovell held a meeting, whereby the Nationals in the area, could have a ONE on One Townhall style meeting, with the then Prime Minister.
After, the PM had addressed the audience, he took questions; I, in partihicular asked the PM Lester Bird; “look ahead fifty(50) years, and tell us, what do you envision for the Agriculture Industry, as it pertains to Our Nation?”
The PM, laughed and shrugged off the question, as he said; “the Jews will fly in Our food from Miami.”
Over the couse, of blogging in various forums, which deals with Our Nation, I have always advocated for the RESTORATION of the WATER CATCHMENT SYSTEMS, in Our Nation to assist with the shortage of water, which Antigua suffers from, from time to time, knowing the importance of water to the Agriculture Industry.
A blogger by the name, of TENMAN, one who is reportedly has the ears, of the present PM Browne, as an advisor, all but put the handcuffs, and straight jackets on me, to be quarantined for having a vision, which I knew would be well worth the effort(s).
A People without visionaries, as leaders will always find themselves, in peril at times such as these…
A lang, lang, lang garling time Rastafari, a warn R U boomboo, bout Agriculture. R U nar hear, now r U a feel de pressure, to rass!
Pressure buss pipe, and MAYHEM will definitely follow!
Jumbee Picknee aka Ras Smood!
JFII, Frantz Fanon…Frantz Fanon…Frantz Fanon!
Ras, you is one smart man. Keep it up. Speak Truth to Power.
@Kristi, nah I am not “smart,” just an observant youth, who pays attention to my surroundings, and apply some wisdom to get around!
Thanks for the compliment….
PRESSURE BUSS PIPE RAS?
See that you are still here, Ras.
Planting food alright.
Evbry body must nyam.
Gearing up for a fight too.
Seems you are poised to give a ‘knockout.’
Hope that I n I hears the ‘count’ or the darn bell when it rings.
See where ‘Ras-Smo-Jum-Pic (RJPS)'(your two aliases) is going, though.
This one aint in no pipe, though.
Are you not afraid Ras?
Flying across the globe wreaking havoc.
Knocking down people like flies.
Filling up institutions and ‘land space.’
Sadly, not enough spacecraft to take people to the moon to plant some darn ‘potatoes, yams and pumpkins.’
See you Ras.
Talk gud. Walk gud.
Pompey, to be honest, I am neither scared nor afraid.
Life, and death walk hand in glove!
….two glasses of warm water with a dash of baking soda first thing in the morning. No food, solid or liquid for an hour after.
….I keep a tincture of Guinea hen and maiden blush.
….Oregano oil is always close by.
….onion therapy to detox.
…epsom salt and marigolds to detox the largest organ(the skin).
I have never done “flu shots!” I strengthen my immune system through my diet, and my grand parents homeopathic remedies.
This is the ROOOAARRRIIINNGGG 20’S, all over again! Take a look at the parallels, from wars to pandemics to the crash of economies, and the money markets. In more ways, than one, it’s how the Oligarchs, Plutocrats, Medium’s and their Media reset the controls to keep HUE-mans in line.
THIS IS A TEST!
A TEST OF
THE EMERGENCY QUARANTINE SYSTEMS…
Brethen I see you giving jokes today. Anyway keep it up check.me next time you are here
U a laff to rass! Guarne laff, U might haffu go tun whelks or Soldier crab, and go hide undah rack, fram de Wutan Ninja Virus.
I agree completely with the Ras……
Foreign direct investments, money, jobs, and tourism cannot build a sustainable country….
For years I have been lamenting tourism is not an industry, it allows velocity of money which gives the perception of advancement.
The Barbuda model is a sustainable model less jobs, greater reliance of available natural resource, greater reliance on individual independence.
Can’t eat the jobs…. You will have money and cannot spend it because the shelves are empty because the boats stop coming…..
Money is the slave master to be free you have to get rid of money. Since we only know money the idea of freedom is not inherit.
what is 163 sq ml doing with a billion dollar budget?
WAS WONDERING RAS
Ten is our gud friend.
Way back to ‘Caribarena.’
Did not read anything from him recently.
See ‘I n I’ managed to pull ‘Ten’s Teeth, what the hell? ‘…Tongue.’
Careful Ras.
Can’t do that to ‘Peata’ and ‘notten’ happen though.
Watch it Ras. …Watch it.
Be careful what you pull out of a man’s mouth- ‘Teet and Tung.’
Very dangerous Ras. Very dangerous.
Uncle Bilay, left wan a he bull-pissle, and two(2) pair a clap-whip fu me! All me haffu do, a jus mention dem, and 1, two, tree, 4, up to ten,
Tenman, will run inna pen,
A bleet, and a weep,
Lakkah weary sheep!
So, ah no kay a wey he rise fram,
Slumber, grave or sleep!
He cyan guarne, gnash teet!
And, nyam up he tongue!
A nuff tun a blow, all day long!
Notes From A Native Son Of The Rock! Ah Mi Gud Fren! “For a colonized people the most essential value, because the most concrete, is first and foremost the land: the land which will bring them bread and, above all, dignity.” ― Frantz Fanon, The Wretched of the Earth!
Clearly The Venerable RP has sounded the bell and spoken, like the Oracle at Da Bridge, that as GoAB goes fro “Entrepreneurial Socialism” to “Empowerment Capitalism”, “Everything can be explained to the people, on the single condition that you want them to understand.” ― Frantz Fanon!
Tenman is no longer sharing his research “willy nilly” having understood that “The basic confrontation which seemed to be colonialism versus anti-colonialism, indeed capitalism versus socialism, is already losing its importance. What matters today, the issue which blocks the horizon, is the need for a redistribution of wealth. Humanity will have to address this question, no matter how devastating the consequences may be.” ― Frantz Fanon!
“You never let a serious crisis go to waste. And what I mean by that it’s an opportunity to do things you think you could not do before.” Rahm Emanuel, Former Mayor of Chicago and Chief Of Staff to Prez Barack Hussein Obama! Every Disappointment is a Blessing say De Vendors at Da Market! It should give the Politicos thoughts on Transforming the Economic and Fiscal Models being pursued since ’76! Redesign, Re-engineer, Realign and Restructure!
Here’s the reading List as Covid-19 forces a Behavioural Change: Antigua Black – Dr. Gregson Davis; Sustainable Island Resource Management Zoning Plan for Antigua and Barbuda (including Redonda) 2012; and ASSESSMENT AND MAPPING OF ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA ECOSYSTEM RESOURCES AND PROMOTING A SYSTEM OF PROTECTED AREAS FOR ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA Protected Areas Analysis for Antigua and Barbuda 2010!
Let The Strategic Planning for Agriculture Begin Now! Is backyard Gardens the low hanging fruit for the short term! “The unpreparedness of the educated classes, the lack of practical links between them and the mass of the people, their laziness, and, let it be said, their cowardice at the decisive moment of the struggle will give rise to tragic mishaps.” ― Frantz Fanon! The education system, Human Resource and labour market development was not predicated on building a sustainable agriculture sector and food security! 44 years of a neglected education cannot be undone to stave off the coming food shortages! This is the time to begin building the maritime transportation, logistics and supply chains traveling the Eastern Caribbean Highway, moving products from the quality Low Cost producers of the CSME to Consumers!
Due to Ribbon Development and Unplanned Settlements, most of the old water courses have been destroyed leaving unsuitable areas for catchment developments! How many have heard of and visited Wallings Water Conservation Area! See Protected Areas Analysis for Antigua and Barbuda 2010! The Water Utility Infrastructure of: Water harvesting; supply and processing/treatment, Distribution and Storage is deficient in all three areas and woefully inadequate in storage capacity and operation! Until that also is corrected long term Agriculture talk is mere clashing of sounding cymbals!
“The Afrocentric method considers that no phenomena can be apprehended adequately without locating it first. A phenom must be studied and analyzed in relationship to psychological time and space. It must always be located. This is the only way to investigate the complex interrelationships of science and art, design and execution, creation and maintenance, generation and tradition, and other areas bypassed by theory.” – Dr. Molefi Asante, Afrocentricity: The Theory of Social Change!
Talk about too little too late…
It’s NOT too late. The PM is right on time, and the nation is looking forward. Plant everything everywhere, and do it now.
Really???? Why now as the entire world is about to face food crisis he’s suddenly so interested in agriculture. Antigua should have been able to provide their own food through their own resources a long time ago… Smdh
It is said that the economy grew by 6% last year but that growth hasn’t been realized by massive in antigua.
Who realize the growth. People in antigua are facing serious challenges and nobody seems to care.
Water is a scared commodity. This administration promises water in 4o days (6 year ago) years has pass and still no water
I don’t have a problem planting vegetables and fruits Mr. PM but I need regular water for my agriculture farming. Also stop using the agriculture lands for housing. Start building upright like some of the housing project I saw in Dominica.
The coronavirus outbreak has been labelled a pandemic by the World Health Organization (WHO).
It is a term that the organisation had refrained from using before now.
A pandemic describes a disease that is spreading between people in multiple countries around the world at the same time.
WHO chief Dr Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said it was now using the term because of deep concern over “alarming levels of inaction” over the virus.
Every body needs to calm down humans will adapt to this virus. The greater the exposure the sooner the adaption process,
DANGEROUS THEORY MEL
Calm down alright.
But ‘Corona V’ not coming to ‘…calm any body down.’
From What Jamaica is saying, it has ‘…taken down two’ already.
Still not sure where the hell next, it will go from there.
But wherever it goes, some body is ‘…going down.’
Dr. Ras Bush Doctor ‘…bush medicine’ might just work.
Ras Smood not afraid of it, though.
The question is who all must die before humans adapt to this virus? That is no comfort to a daughter, son, grand daughter etc
@Melchisedec…Melatonin, the hormone which regulates other functions of the body, and melanin are still amongst “our” greatest assets!
A sea bath in the morning, and in the evening; let the salt/minerals stay on the skin!
Get out in the sun, and get the natural Vitamin D. To avoid “sunstroke,” wrapped sea-side grape leaf or castor oil tree leaf on your head while enjoying the sun….
Hot Ganja tea…
BushMan remedy, dat kip we Irie…
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