By Robert A. Emmanuel
Registered farmers will be able to get subsidised water from the Antigua and Barbuda Public Utilities Authority (APUA), Agriculture Minister EP Chet Greene announced.
Greene was responding to claims made by St George MP Algernon Watts who on Monday raised a plethora of issues relating to the agriculture industry, including the water crisis and the state of access roads to farms.
Greene, who is also the MP for St Paul, said the government has approved two initiatives to assist farmers with water distribution.
“The Cabinet … has made two separate decisions: to accord bona fide, registered farmers subsidised water through APUA … [and] farmers who have submitted their documentation and are bona fide will start to see the commencement of water on their farms,” he said.
Greene explained that the subsidy would be 50 percent, claiming it was part of the government’s commitment to food security.
“As we go into the dry season, farmers will understand the importance of getting registered now and the minister responsible for APUA [Melford Nicholas] and his team will understand the urgency of getting farmers registered,” he said.
Greene also explained that the issue of repairing roads near local farms was a “work in progress” and boasted about the multitude of road works that have already been completed.
Greene, who was appointed Minister for Foreign Affairs, Agriculture, Trade, Immigration, and Barbuda Affairs following the January 18 polls, said one of the issues that needs to be addressed is the reformation of the Central Marketing Corporation (CMC) to ensure that those who are trained in marketing are separate from those who engage in the selling of food.
“And as for CMC, changes are coming … and if not CMC, a new entity that will deal with the procurement of farmers’ produce. I have said this from the get-go that he [who] produces the food should not be the same man selling the food,” he said.
He added that the first area that will be looked at will be the meat sector.
Another issue raised by the new Agriculture Minister was the quality of seedlings that farmers use in their produce.
“There are too many substandard seeds in the system and if you have substandard seeds, you will have substandard production,” he said.
Minister Greene also said that he wanted to engage the St George MP with a view toward “developing a new paradigm” in the agricultural sector as he planned to use his experience in diplomatic affairs while serving as Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade to transform the industry.
He referenced using the country’s relationship with China to import innovative agricultural techniques to improve the sector.
