Livestock farmers need land to rear animals
Published:Tuesday | August 22, 2023 | 12:08 AMChristopher Serju/Senior Gleaner Writer
Agriculturalist Lenworth Fulton has weighed in on the recent incidents of motorists crashing into animals along major roadways, resulting in a number of deaths, and contends that this, in some ways, is caused by carryover from colonial days.
“On behalf of the Jamaica Agriculture Society (JAS) our sympathy is extended to the injured, and condolences to the families and friends of the departed,” said Fulton, the president of the JAS. “The problems with stray animals are many and evolved from lopsided land-distribution practices over the years orchestrated by our colonial leaders, where the ruling class controlled large properties across Jamaica and the working class was put on marginal plots to live. Things have not changed much since independence in 1962.”
He pointed out that while farmers are encouraged to raise livestock as a meaningful way to build up their asset base and overcome generational poverty, the technical and infrastructural support to keep these agricultural enterprises sustainable as they grow is not usually in place.
“Without adequate access to land, proper extension delivery, appropriate public education, and safeguards like pounds, road signals, animal crossings, etc, the ruminants might invade our public domains and even our homes, and usually, there is very little by way of legal recourse when this happens.
“The situation with enterprising cattle farmers in Hanover and elsewhere must be handled with care instead of widescale condemnation and neglect because as a country we are importing millions of dollars of beef and beef products, and similar situations exist with milk and goat meat (chevon).”
Under the National Animal Identification and Traceability System (NAITS), animals, including cattle, pigs, sheep, and goats, should be tagged. While the national animal-tagging system was expected to have the spin-off effect of helping to reduce livestock theft, the system was primarily aimed at addressing animal health, identification, and traceability. This is because the tag that will be affixed to each animal will be linked to its records through the passport, which is really the animal’s docket of information with data on its birth, DNA/genetic information, and health status.
“The JAS has begged all our farmers to secure their animals and contact the Rural Agricultural Development Authority and JAS for assistance to get land and their animals, whilst the government, via the Vet Division, is encouraged to examine both cattle and goats for their suitability for the national breeding programmes,” said Fulton.
Farmers are always on the move, and by doing so, opportunities are created such as land transactions, development of small and medium animal feed entities (hay, silage, grains etc), additions of farmers to the livestock subsector, and added diversity for the farming system while providing fresh beef for the consumers.