STRENGTHENING OUR FOOD PRODUCING CAPACITY TO ENSURE FOOD SECURITY WHILE EXPANDING OUR EXPORT OPPORTU

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STRENGTHENING OUR FOOD PRODUCING CAPACITY TO
ENSURE FOOD SECURITY WHILE EXPANDING OUR EXPORT
OPPORTUNITIES
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PRESENTATION TEAM

• Hon. Sen. Joanne M. Massiah, Minister of
  Agriculture (Ag)
• Mr Jedidiah Maxime, Deputy Director of
  Agriculture
• Mrs Kathleen Forde, General Manager, Central
  Marketing Corporation

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Current Climate

• Rise in food prices and cost of living(see chart)
• Escalating oil prices
• Increased use of grains and cereals as biofuels

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Local Production

• Approximately 1200 persons meeting criteria of
  operating a crop or livestock holding
• Approximately 6000 acres allocated to
  agricultural production
• 1227 total registered fishers
• Annual export of seafood
• Antigua 92.3MT -EC 1.45M
• Barbuda 50.78 MT - EC 1.34M

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Export of local produce

• Over the years produce from local farmers have
  been exported Canada, UK, USA and neighbouring
  territories such as St Maarten, Anguilla and the
  Virgin Islands. Produce shipped to the UK were
  distributed to reputable retail such as
  Sainsbury, Marks and Spencer and Waitrose.

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Livestock

• Livestock producers are involved in the
  production of beef, pork, sheep and goat meat.
  Some chicken and eggs are also produced.
• Just under half of our total beef consumption is
  met from local production.

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Livestock (continued)

• Two - thirds of the pork consumed locally is
  produced by Antigua and Barbuda farmers
• The total local consumption of goat is approx
  38,000 lbs annually. Local production accounts
  for half of this
• Some 124,000 of mutton and lamb is consumed
  annually in A B .Local production amounts to
  46,000lb or just about one third.

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Opportunity

• There is opportunity to reduce the livestock
  importation by expansion of local production

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Production, importation and consumption of
livestock products 2007
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Crop production
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Strategy

• Strengthen, expand and modernise marketing system
  at input and output levels
• Food security and improved livelihood
• Increase production and productivity
• Application of improved Technologies
• Improved delivery of services to farmers
• Production planning
• Specially targeted subsidies
• R D
• Partnerships with private sector and national,
  regional and international agencies.

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Challenges

• Any challenges to meet these opportunities
  successfully will largely depend upon the
  commitment of you , the consumers, to support
  locally produced commodities as well as , the
  Ministry of Finance to provide the requisite
  financing to support the expansion of the various
  work programs being proposed.

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STRENGTHENING OUR FOOD PRODUCING CAPACITY TO
ENSURE FOOD SECURITY WHILE EXPANDING OUR EXPORT
OPPORTUNITIES
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• Kathleen Forde,
• General Manager,
• Central Marketing Corporation

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THE ROLE OF THE CENTRAL MARKETING CORPORATION IN
THE NEW INITIATIVE
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Strategy

• Strengthen, expand and modernise marketing
  system at input and output levels
• Construct a New Food Center with
• Expanded chilling capacity (350,000 lbs)
• Improved handling facilities (pre cooling unit
  and other post harvest treatments)
• Increased ambient store (4000 sq ft)

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Strategy contd

• Construct a primary processing unit
• Improve collaboration with ADC (location of some
  of the storage and handling facilities in the
  production belt)
• Construct satellite handling depots in close
  proximity to producers
• Develop a certified pack-house to facilitate
  local and export marketing

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Strategy contd

• Develop a Farmers Development Center
• Expand range of inputs available to farmers in a
  more timely way through dedicated and increased
  input storage including a modern, dedicated seed
  store
• Training facilities
• Information Center (Production Information
  market information )

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Crop production
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Strategy contd

• 2. Improve Food security and livelihood through
• Production planning
• Production based on market requirements
  quantity quality
• Reduction in waste
• Increased returns
• In collaboration with the Extension Division

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• 3. Partnerships with private sector and
  national, regional and international agencies
• Continued involvement of input suppliers with
  respect to seminars and training of farmers

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Infrastructure

• New food centre
• Expanded chill room storage350000lbs
• Improved handling facilities post harvest
  treatment
• increased ambient storage
• Processing unit primary processing e.g. purees
  
• Farm development centre
• Storage unit for seeds, fertilisers and other
  inputs
• IT and Training unit

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FINANCE

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PRODUCTION FACILITATION
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Concessions

• Duty free inputs
• Favourable land rental rates

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Strategic Partnerships

• Government agencies
• APUA, MoH, MoTm, MoEd, Mo Labour
• National and Regional NGO,s
• Private Sector
• National and Regional and International
  Agricultural and Scientific Organisations
• Bilateral arrangements

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Farm Development

• Land Allocation
• Land Preparation
• Capacity Building and Farm Advisory
• Information and Communication

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Critical Issues for Research and Development

• Disaster Mitigation (Climate Change), new
  varieties, seeds
• Input testing
• Cost of production studies
• Validation and Transfer of Improved Technologies
• Stations

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Compliance and Certification

• GAP
• Environmental considerations
• Laboratory and Diagnostic Facilities
• Food Safety
• Traceability
• Pesticide management
• Trade Agreements

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Food and Livelihood Security

• Commodity specialisation
• Export promotion
• Import substitution