Agriculture, size and comparative advantage

THE EDITOR: The Prime Minister's statement on the issue of agricultural production and competitiveness is no doubt widely shared. However, I do wish to share an alternative view particularly relevant to our domestic situation.

Since our independence in 1956, there has been a need for meaningful diversification of our economy. The curse of our reliance on petroleum and natural gas has consistently deterred us from appreciating the role and function that agriculture plays in a country's development. It is true that large size affords some comparative advantage in quantitative terms, however, this is not necessarily true qualitatively.

My main argument is that smaller-scale production systems, when properly managed, afford specific advantages in quality, agility, branding and marketing. Our country had been poised to capitalise on these attributes but unfortunately our decision-makers since 1956 have not had the will to fund and develop in a sustainable manner our successful R&D initiatives.

These would include R&D in areas such as in cocoa (flavour), fruits and vegetables (passion fruit, pineapples, mangoes, avocados, pepper), water buffalo, the Tobago hair sheep and related reproductive processes contingent on development and support of the at the Blenheim, Hope Reproductive Centre for artificial insemination and export of ova etc.

I believe that should we, as a nation, set ourselves specific and quantifiable objectives, supported by sustainable levels of inputs (human, physical and financial) we can make significant global impact if properly branded and marketed.

Samuel B Howard via e-mail