Farmers affected by the November 10 freak flood are set to receive aid from a Ministry of Agriculture support programme aimed at helping them rebuild operations and recover losses, Minister of Agriculture Dr Shantal Munro-Knight announced on Wednesday.
The widespread flooding, which claimed the life of one man, left homes submerged in water, mud and debris, and destroyed crops and livestock across several farming districts.
Speaking to journalists on Wednesday, the agriculture minister apologised for the delayed response to some affected farmers.
She said: “I want to say publicly, right now, let me apologise to all those farmers that we haven’t gotten back to, that we haven’t been responsive enough to. Lots of things have happened, but that is no excuse.”
The ministry has completed comprehensive damage assessments and was still receiving reports from affected farmers earlier this month, she added.
“The ministry would have done a comprehensive damage assessment, so we have those reports. We know the farms that would have been impacted. The ministry would have reported to me that I believe, this month, early, we were still getting reports from farmers who would have experienced losses.”
Free fertiliser will form part of the initial assistance being offered to flood-hit farmers, Dr Munro-Knight revealed.
“I would have announced quite recently that we will be having some fertilisers that we will be providing free to the farming community, and one of the very first recipients of those fertilisers would be that group of farmers that would have suffered those losses over that November period.
“So I want to be able to commit to those farmers that throughout the month of June, you will see us reaching out to you in various ways, in order to make sure that we can work with you.”
The flooding highlighted the need for a broader climate resilience farm programme, according to the minister.
“Part of what BADMC will be doing in the crop escalation plan is not just only about how we get more produce and more plants done again, but it’s about the road infrastructure that needs to be built out there. It is about how we can get farmers into precision agriculture and using technology a little bit more, using shade houses, greenhouses, all of those things.
“It has to be a comprehensive approach. This is one of the reasons why we also invested in the onion dryer and those sorts of things, so that we can combat the seasonal rains and the challenges that we will have, because they will not go away.”
Chief Agricultural Officer Paul Lucas explained that the ministry’s support package will also include a voucher system for farmers most severely affected.
“Whereby those most affected, we’re going to make available a set amount, which they can then use to get the necessary components for their system. So, in order for farmers to restart, what do they need? They need seeds, plant material, irrigation systems, and what the voucher does is allow them the opportunity to decide what is most relevant to them and their needs.”
Lucas added that assistance is also being considered for livestock farmers:
“Especially for those who have small ruminants [sheep and goats]. We’re looking to provide them with perhaps — it hasn’t been finalised, so just bear that in mind — but we’re looking to provide some of these farmers with, for example, two ewes, one ram, allowing them to restart the process by which they have their livestock.”
Chicken farmers who lost fowls in the flood could also receive support through the voucher system:
“What we’re hoping to do is also provide them with inputs, and the voucher system could also allow them to get starter feed, for example, that can help them in terms of building their own capacity.”
The chief agricultural officer acknowledged that several farmers had already begun rebuilding without waiting for government assistance.
“What the ministry is seeking to do is support those efforts, and for those who are more affected, provide them with some degree of financial assistance again,” Lucas said.
“What we’re trying to do at this time, too, is because we have that information with those farmers who were affected, we’re looking to map out the amounts that they would need in order to start again.”
The ministry was also considering providing two bags of fertiliser per acre for crop farmers as part of the recovery effort:
“So just certain initiatives that we really want to drive and support those farmers, and again, we want to salute those farmers who have endured some of the worst experiences, and we hope that they could understand that it is a process, and sometimes we have to go through certain mechanisms and frameworks in order to provide this service.”
(LG)
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