Vegetable prices and food self-sufficiency were hot topics on Tuesday’s “Au Cœur de l’Info” program. Speakers tackled the challenges faced by vegetable growers, especially the lack of labor, land and finances in the Agricultural Sector.
Consumers have struggled with high vegetable prices all year. Questions arose about imports, the impact of recent rains on prices, and if local production could address shortages.
Dylen Kistnamah, a young planter, highlighted the gap between market prices and what growers receive. He also acknowledged the difficulties of bad weather and a lack of young people entering the field.
Concerned about the lack of youth interest, Kistnamah stressed the importance of respecting planters. He emphasized the economic risks of relying solely on imports. Kailash Ramdharry of the Small Planters Movement believes the price increase is artificial. He proposed using foreign labor to address the shortage and suggested creating an organization to manage the latter.
Pascal Laroulette of Action for Environment called for a national strategy. This plan would involve the government, private sector, NGOs, and planters to address agricultural challenges.
In conclusion, the discussions emphasized the need to address labor, land, and financial limitations in agriculture. Encouraging young people, exploring labor solutions, and developing a national strategy were proposed to tackle these issues.
Source: Lack of Labor Land and Finance in the Agricultural Sector – https://defimedia.info/au-coeur-de-linfo-le-manque-de-main-doeuvre-de-terrains-et-de-finances-deplores
