Blackstock
This week, Farmers Weekly presents the fifth in a series of features on parish managers of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), with St. Andrew's Egbert Blackstock.
Claude Wilson, Gleaner Writer
EGBERT BLACKSTOCK, 60, has been working with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) for almost 40 years seven as the parish manager for St. Andrew but he has not lost his youthful exuberance.
Mr. Blackstock, who previously served in the parishes of Clarendon and Portland, still effectively executes his mandate to efficiently supervise his staff and to monitor programmes aimed at boosting agriculture in the parish.
"We identify the problems of the farmers, whether it is with their crops, livestock, soil or water management and we work with them to ensure that the problems are reduced," he said.
But, according to Mr. Blackstock, the lack of adequate financial resources has hindered RADA's ability to better serve farmers in the parish, which produces approximately 1.8 per cent of the island's food production.
He also said that he would like to see more realistic financing for the respective parishes in relation to the established production targets. "Production targets are established based on the national goals but without the necessary funding in place these production targets can't be achieved," he said.
"Agriculture is and will continue to be important to this nation. We must ensure that if the ship cannot come in for, at least a couple of weeks, we maintain ourselves. It is critical that we place great emphasis on (food) production, both for the domestic and export market."
Mr. Blackstock also said he would like to see more attention being given to agricultural research to deal with some of the problems facing farmers.
