Agriculture Plan to be delivered this year
Following a confession that there is no formal plan to improve the agriculture and fisheries, Minister Dr Karl Dawson last week stated that a comprehensive agriculture and fisheries plan will be ready by the second quarter of 2024.
BVI News reported Dr Dawson’s confession of no agriculture plan two weeks after he made the statement. The news report drew intense public criticism and the government held a press conference days later, announcing that a formal plan will be ready this year.
“We are in the process of developing the comprehensive plan for agriculture and fisheries in the territory. This process has been informed by public meetings with farmers and fishers since I assumed office, relevant documents such as The Virgin Islands Sustainable Development Plan, the Blue Economy Roadmap, regional initiatives as well as the work plans developed by the Department of Agriculture,” Dr Dawson stated at a press conference on March 15.
He continued: “This plan will bring together these various elements into a single document that can guide the sectors. This will be completed in the second quarter of this year, including consultations with stakeholders around the proposed plan.”
The junior minister also added that as the plan is being developed, the government is working on a reservoir to assist farmers at Paraquita Bay and work to gather and deploy resources to address issues around the distribution system.
On the February 26 airing of the Talking Points radio show, Dr Dawson said there is currently no formal plan to develop the agriculture and fisheries sector in the territory: “No, I did not meet one and we have not yet developed one yet,” he stated at the time.
Dr Dawson also said agriculture and fisheries have been set back because of the lack of critical data to inform decision-making. Dr Dawson’s confession triggered much public discussion amid growing concerns that imported, processed foods may be contributing to lifestyle diseases such as diabetes and non-communicable diseases such as cancers.
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Laughable to here this phd saying agriculture policy or plan coming soon, the earth is free for man to plant food, if a person decide to set stipulations in place of the freedom of planting isn’t it controlling what you do against your will that you become humbug and leave agriculture, because he will be dictating the narrative, a coconut is brown outside and white inside, a harvested brain in a PhD is made to act as the white men, every thing on earth must come under their hegemony, and our people will carry out that for them. So in the end we become more dependent on the white people for agricultural food because the policy by the politician kills agriculture.
You say no plan then a quick press conference with the premier to try and save face. Don’t be a fall guy for the no plan premier
To Mr Dawson just shut the F up and collect your money like the rest!! You guys have no interest in the people or the island!! Shut shut up Sir! You make me and my livestock animals sick!!
With every government that comes into power comes the same rhetoric accompanied by millions of dollars, yet, ten, twenty, thirty and forty years later all the country ever see is more rhetoric, more disappearing millions and no agriculture.
Meanwhile, God forbid a world-wide food diaster tomorrow, most will perish from starvation, as there are no fish, conchs or whelks left in the sea, as the baby ones are being hunted everyday.
This government and every district representative and their agennda to enrich themselves, as their leaderand assistant leader so boldly stated, has neither agriculture nor any other progressive idea within their mind’s eye.