The 2008 Agricultural Digest - Ministry of Agriculture and Rural ...

OUTLOOK FOR 2009The economic outlook for 2009 clearly suggests continued pressure on the world’s “real” economyas a result of the global financial crisis. It is heavily anticipated that, with the economic down-turnand the lack of financial resources which are necessary for the continued development in the worldagricultural sector, local output may prove to be volatile.For Barbados, the financial crisis also impacts negatively oninvestment into the local agricultural sector; however, the sustainedhigh prices of agricultural prices may be a greater contributingfactor to declines of commercial agricultural production. It is anticipatedthat subsistence and informal agricultural production willincrease. It must be noted that, although the Ministry of Agricultureand Rural Development welcomes increased agriculturalproduction of all forms, increased informal production presentsseveral food safety concerns. During the coming year theMinistry of Agriculture and Rural Development will therefore continueto provide the enabling environment which will facilitate growthwithin the agricultural sector.The Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development will beundertaking initiatives which are expected to realise increasedagricultural production in urban and peri-urban areas-Such initiatives are expected to safeguard these vulnerablesegments of the population, as well as contain rising povertylevels in the country. Additionally, prgrams will also be implementedto educate Barbadians on the need to exercise goodhealth and food preparation practices in an attempt to ensuregeneral public safety in the face of any increased informalagricultural production.Volume 1Agricultural Digest | 200815