Chief Technical Director Reiterates Importance of Safeguarding Jamaica’s Food Security

Amid global challenges facing the world, Chief Technical Director in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Orville Palmer, has reiterated the importance of safeguarding Jamaica’s food security.

Speaking at the Ministry’s Plant Quarantine/Produce Inspection (PQ/PI) Branch Annual Importers Forum on Wednesday (February 26), Mr. Palmer stated that it’s important for stakeholders in the agricultural sector to understand what’s happening in the global market.

He noted that in a digital age where information is readily available, “more than the usual attention is being paid to the way in which we grow our food, how we handle our food, how we export our food, and also great sensitivity to what enters our borders, whether food or non-food, and that will impact our agricultural industry”.

Mr. Palmer explained that it is incumbent on all sovereign nations to protect their agricultural systems, while indicating that the Government remains committed to this mandate through its regulatory role carried out by the PQ/PI Branch of the Ministry.

“All of us here also have to play a role in ensuring that our food systems remain secure and vibrant in such a way that we can grow the volumes and enjoy the benefits of doing so,” Mr. Palmer told the importers participating in the forum.

Meanwhile, the Chief Technical Director noted that a key part of ensuring food security is to get the nation’s farmers to increase their productivity.

“A part of the thing that I’ve been pushing is to get our farmers to be more productive. The Ministry right now is not just using production numbers to measure our success but also yield per acre,” he noted.

Mr. Palmer emphasised that increasing productivity is also essential for business growth.

He stated that the Ministry remains focused on initiatives that will benefit farmers, including those involved in the export market.

“One of the things that we have been doing is to try to see how we can establish pest-free areas, and as exporters, you know how that will benefit your operation. The Government knows how it will impact the persons on the ground and the livelihood of our farmers,” the official explained.