Agriculture is known as a science. Yes! A science. By definition, agriculture is the art and science of cultivating the soil, growing crops, and raising livestock. However, this science is not at the same rank as other sciences. Who knows, it could be due to the dreaded words at the beginning of time that said, “cursed be the ground because of you; through painful toil, you will eat food from it all the days of your life. It will produce thorns and thistle for you, and you will eat the plants of the field.” Or it could be due to the time and patience it takes to bring forth a fruitful result. Whatever the reason is, agricultural science is less appreciated in Jamaica.

Hard and Dirty Job

As a child who grew up in rural Jamaica, farmers/agriculturalists were often seen going to work early in the mornings. Upon greeting them, deep in the mind of any child would be- I don’t want to be a farmer. The attire and mode of transportation that they took to work daily were not appealing and did not depict a fulfilling life. It showed hardship and poverty. However, as I got older I realized that there are opportunities in the field and life outside of the little box that I was living in. Many agriculturalists indeed live a fulfilling life and are happy eating bread from the sweat of their brow.

Even with such an individualized appreciation for “the” science, there still lies a great stigma with it. Farming provides us with what we need for our daily sustenance- food. Yet, from the populace level it is a hard and dirty job, only fitted for the unskilled or the ignorant and uneducated. From the governance or political level, it is advertised as important for the future economy of Jamaica especially in a time of the COVID 19 pandemic. For years, funds have been funneled into other sectors deemed more important. Of course, farmers get aid. The main focus was on the distribution of seeds, bags of fertilizers, tools, and educational sessions by RADA (Rural Agricultural Development Authority) as such maintaining the farming sector in its current state. The journey must continue though, so where are we going?

Where is the Vision?

With much delight and a little thanks to the present pandemic, the government has placed more urgency on agriculture. The youths of our nation are being encouraged to take up a career in the field, through the Youth in Agriculture Programme. The Ministry of Agriculture stated its plans for more modern technology to increase production and productivity. We saw where there was an increase in grants given to farmers. And I am sure gratitude was expressed for the purchasing of surplus produce that was bought by the government for redistribution. Can you see the glimpse of hope?

The industry is moving towards agrotechnology, sustainable farming techniques, increased greenhouse technology, hydroponics, and well-developed and maintained water systems. Jamaica is however lagging. Drearily predictable isn’t it? A wise person once said, “If you don’t have a vision, you’re going to be stuck in what you know. And the only thing you know is what you’ve already seen.”

Our vision is to have better technological resources, funds, and educational courses available to all farmers. Providing an equal opportunity to everyone regardless of appearance or socioeconomic status is the guiding hand to performing the science called agriculture. The availability of mechanical aid, information on how to incorporate sustainable farming, well-developed irrigation, and drainage system, information on which crops are best suited for certain climates, and how to utilize available water bodies to supply water in your farm area are just a few resources to start a better life for a farmer.

Breaking the Stigma

It is indeed true that Jamaica has come a long way in appreciating farming. If we want agriculture at the level of being seen as a real career to be uttered out of the mouth and proudly owned, then every citizen has to do their part. Let us start from the beginning – educating. More efforts should be placed in our school’s curricula from the pre-school level to the tertiary level in terms of what agricultural science truly entails.

Yes, children are taught that farmers till the soil and plant crops or rear animals for the production of food. They are presented with pictures of a farm and farmer Joe with his fork, a farmhouse, some chickens, and cows. At high school, there is a whole subject called Agricultural Science and students get hands-on experience, nice! And at the tertiary level, we have in Jamaica the College of Agricultural Science and Education. Isn’t all that nice? What more could we want?

When it comes to guiding students in choosing a career, I have seen all other careers being highlighted and lauded. Agricultural science is not seen at a career day expo and a farmer is unlikely to be invited to speak to students at a career day. Why not change this? Let us incorporate agriculture in our educational expos and have more educational institutions incorporate it in their curricula, especially at the tertiary level.

The Way Forward

Farmers need access to greater opportunities. How many farmers can walk into a bank and apply for a loan and is successful? Very few. How many farmers know how to put a proper business plan together? Not many. How many farmers are aware of Farm Credibly?- A service that connects lenders and individual investors to farmer profiles that are credit-worthy. Again, very few.

This leads to the importance of awareness and communication. It is not just owing on the government of Jamaica, but from that level right down to the farmer him/herself. Farmers should be able to do proper book/stock-keeping and be aware of the various platforms that can help them, such as RADA, Farm Credibly , and JAMIS (Jamaica Agricultural Marketing Information System), which provides weekly information about various agricultural produces.

All this information seems like a lot to gather; however, this is the age of digitization /technology and the farming industry has to adapt to this way of life too. It makes gathering information, staying up to date, organizing, and monitoring easier and less time-consuming so as farmers, let us get with it. Agrotechnology /digitization and education in farming is the way forward and since our young people are so in love with technology, we can therefore put one plus one together and see that if we encourage and steer our youths towards the way of providing food for our nation then we will have a brighter tomorrow, A Better Jamaica!