The Antigua and Barbuda
government
plans to place agricultural lands in a farm trust to protect them from housing and other forms of development, Prime Minister Gaston Browne has announced.
Browne disclosed the policy Saturday during the Browne and Browne Show on Pointe FM as he outlined measures intended to increase agricultural production and strengthen food security.
The prime minister acknowledged that some of Antigua’s most fertile land had already been converted for residential and other nonagricultural uses.
“Some of the most arable lands on the island have been utilised for housing and other purposes,” Browne said.
He said the government now intends to secure the remaining agricultural lands and ensure they are used exclusively for farming.
“We’re putting them in a farm trust, so going forward, agricultural lands will be secured and will be utilised exclusively for farming,” Browne said.
The prime minister did not provide details about how the proposed farm trust would be administered, which parcels would be included or when the arrangement would take effect.
Browne said protecting land alone would not be enough to increase production. He argued that farms must also have reliable access to water if they are expected to operate successfully.
“No farmer should be farming unless they have a water source,” he said.
The Ministry of Agriculture has therefore been instructed to assess every farm in Antigua and Barbuda and identify nearby tributaries or other natural sources that could collect water following rainfall.
Browne said the government could construct ponds and dams to capture water, with larger facilities potentially serving several farmers in the same area.
He criticised the practice of occupying available government land without first determining whether the location has the resources needed to support agriculture.
The prime minister said farmers operating in areas without natural water sources are likely to fail, particularly because Antigua and Barbuda frequently experiences extended dry periods.
He said some farmers may need to be relocated if their current locations cannot support ponds, dams or other reliable sources of water.
Browne also raised concerns about farmers using potable water intended for homes to fill agricultural ponds. He alleged that some people remove their water meters while filling ponds and reinstall them afterward to avoid paying for the water.
He said it could be more practical for the government to build ponds and dams for farmers free of cost than to continue losing treated water through unauthorised use.
The proposed farm trust and water assessment are part of a wider government strategy to reduce Antigua and Barbuda’s heavy dependence on imported food.
Browne said Antigua and Barbuda imports more than EC$250 million worth of food annually and must develop a better-organised agricultural sector capable of producing consistently.
The prime minister said the government also wants some farmers to operate larger holdings of 20, 30 or 40 acres, arguing that subsistence farming alone cannot satisfy the country’s food requirements.
He said the protection of arable land, improved water infrastructure and the expansion of commercial farming would be essential to increasing local production and strengthening Antigua and Barbuda’s food security.
This article was originally published by Antigua News Room. Read the original article here: Antigua and Barbuda to Protect Agricultural Lands Through Farm Trust.