Jamaica Focuses on Animal Feed Production to Enhance Food Security

In response to Hurricane Beryl, Jamaica’s Agriculture Minister Floyd Green is advocating for improved animal feed production to enhance food security and reduce reliance on imports. He emphasizes the need for public/private collaboration to lower feed costs and referenced significant imports and challenges faced by the agricultural sector. The government aims to mitigate past losses to livestock and meat supplies.

In the aftermath of Hurricane Beryl in 2024, Jamaica is emphasizing the importance of boosting animal feed production as a critical strategy for enhancing food security. Agriculture Minister Floyd Green is advocating for increased production of animal feed to lessen Jamaica’s dependence on imports, thereby ensuring greater stability in the agricultural sector.

Minister Green is encouraging collaboration between the public and private sectors to bolster local food production. This initiative aims to lower costs related to importing animal feed, creating a more self-sufficient agricultural environment in Jamaica.

In 2023, Jamaica imported approximately US$11.19 million in animal feed preparations from the United States. The Statistical Institute of Jamaica (Statin) reported that Jamaica’s total import expenditure from January to July 2023 reached about US$4.44 billion. Minister Green highlighted the significant impact of a 2022 feed shortage on the local pig and poultry industries, which had led to livestock losses and an overall reduction in meat supply.

Jamaica is taking proactive measures to enhance its agricultural sustainability by promoting local animal feed production. Minister Floyd Green’s call for public/private partnerships and the reduction of import reliance underscores the importance of self-sufficiency in securing food supplies. The effects of past crises, such as the feed shortage in 2022, have prompted urgent action to prevent similar outcomes in the future.

Original Source: www.stabroeknews.com