By George Henry, Gleaner WriterThis week, Farmers Weekly presents the eighth in a series of features on managers of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) with Clarendon's Percival Shaw.
SPALDINGS, Clarendon:
PERCIVAL SHAW, 45, has been leading the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Clarendon as parish manager since 1997.
Under his watch, several projects have been implemented to generate more income for small farmers, including a Jamaica Bauxite Institute/RADA tree crop cultivation and livestock rearing initiative.
He has also witnessed a training programme for several women in Mocho, Clarendon, that has provided them with the skills to preserve specific farm produce. And his office has assisted with efforts to expose farmers to improved technologies to advance productivity.
But he still feels that there is much more work to be done to boost agricultural production in Clarendon.
IMPROVING PRODUCTION
"My concern is the large chunks of agricultural lands that have remained idle for quite a number of years now. Most of these lands have access to mechanisation and irrigation and should not be allowed to stay idle," he said.
According to Mr. Shaw, it was important that such lands be put into agricultural production before they are lost to housing projects and other non-agricultural activities.
He said that if farmlands are continually used for housing development, very soon Jamaaica's food imports would reach unprecedented levels.
Sand mining is also a concern for Mr. Shaw. He noted while many persons mining sand in the parish did so legally, too often mining was improperly done, causing the river, especially in upper Clarendon, to change it course, resulting in widespread erosion of agricultural fields.
The RADA, Clarendon boss also said that he would like to see more young persons becoming involved in agriculture in the parish. But he said efforts would have to be undertaken to attract them to the sector and suggested that a mentoring programme could be a good proposal.
Mr. Shaw said that compared to previous years, it was now especially difficult for his office to attain some of the goals it achieved, given the current shortage of agricultural extension officers, however, he said his office was committed to providing maximum assistance for farmers.
