Clarke wants more focus on cassava

[Willi]

U cant be so gullible!

He got the name Dr Cassava for copying Manley.

MDYADWL

U mek people tun U inna prekkeh too easily!

[Willi]

Ahhh, I am having Internet probs today and its dropping in and out...so I post when I can and add later on in the allowable time limit so that I dont get frustrated.

In any case, what difference does THAT make.

U grasping at straws trying to defend the indefensible.

[Willi]

Ur position even defies logic.
The criticism meriting the name Dr Cassava was about the PRODUCT, the plant

The copying Manley stigma was about his proposed FARMERS' Market emulating the AMC, 2 different policies mooted at 2 different times.

U ah conflate to confuse, but some of us have elephant memory and as Bricktop said, your TRUCK record suspect.

[Willi]

Nutritional value!

[Mosiah]

What exactly are you laffing about? What am I gullible about?

Please explain.

[Willi]

Ah believe Skengy improperganda!

It is clear that he was mocked about the product wrt Cassava and later about Farmers Market being a copy. In my many excerpts you can see that and many here have elephant memory to recall exactly that.

[Mosiah]

Well, I don't recall any serious mocking of Tufton regarding cassava. Why would anyone discourage the growing of any crop!?!?

Hey, why is there no evidence out there?!? Produce it nah!

[Willi]

I did already.

U dont recall?

U name Dwight now?

[Skeng DX]

hmmm...so it is now cool to edit a post after it has been responded to...MAIN

[Willi]

U dont listen do you?

What's cool got to do with it?

What's so hard to understand about tech problems?
Right now, only 1 computer of the several internet devices here is working!

[Willi]

LETTER OF THE DAY - The case for greater cassava production
published: Wednesday | April 23, 2008


The Editor, Sir:

I wholeheartedly support the recent proposal by Minister of Agriculture Dr Christopher Tufton that that cassava be put into production as an alternative to rice. Food security is a worldwide concern and we need to proactively pursue import alternatives.

It is beyond me why Dr Tufton's proposal is being met with such opposition when he should be supported for his foresight. Cassava is one of the most researched tuber crops. The International Institute of Tropical Agriculture in Nigeria has worked with cassava for decades and has extensive outreach programmes with farmers in many different African countries through which they share best practices, research and distribute high-yielding and disease-free cassava and other tuber crops such as yams and dasheen.

Cyanide

Letters opposing Dr Tufton's proposal drew reference to cassava's cyanide index. Chemically bound cyanide is inherently present in cassava, particularly in bitter cassava. Fermentation and washing of pulverised cassava make it safe for consumption. Certainly cassava to be used for flour production will undergo careful processing as is done for bammies.

I take it the opponents to Dr Tufton's proposal do not partake of our national dish of ackee and salted codfish; or is it likely they are not cognisant of ackee having hypoglycin - a potent poison.

There is concern about cassava's protein content. No one food supplies all requisite nutrients. What is going to be important, therefore, is complementary farming in Minister Tufton's tender to improve the agri-sector. While he is working to get cassava production off the ground, he should, for example, evaluate the feasibility of reactivating the hundreds of acres of ponds in Mitchell Town, Clarendon, to meet the protein needs through fish and shrimp production.

We already have institutions such as the Bureau of Standards, which can monitor cassava's end product safety. The minister should commission institutions such as the College of Agriculture, Science and Education and officers from the Rural Agricultural Development Agency (RADA) to organise workshops and do fieldwork with local farmers to get the project up and running. It is important we support our seriously results-oriented minister in charge of such a critical body as the Ministry of Agriculture.

Advantages of cassava

I, however, wish him luck with RADA as for three years (2001-2004) I applied for and was in constant contact with their offices (by phone and visits to no avail) in my bid to acquire lands in St Thomas they had 'earmarked' for leasing so I could extend my farming operation.

Let's be mindful of some notable advantages of cassava farming such as its ease of propagation, ease of care and high yield. The attributes of this staple make it an ideal crop for growing islandwide in our varied soil types. I say to those who are opposed to a good idea, when you state a disfavour offer a viable alternative.

I am, etc.,

ALLENDE

allende@writeme.com

Port Royal

Via Go-Jamaica

[Willi]

'Cassava initiative'

No Jamaican will soon forget the so-called 'cassava initiative' (Dr Tufton, early in his tenure as minister, suggested that local farmers diversify the crops they grow in order to combat rising food prices, singling out cassava as an underutilised staple) for which the minister received some amount of ridicule. It was flak which the minister took in stride.

He has also been leading a rice-growing project, which he insists will be a viable sector in a few years.

In addition to being Jamaica's minister of agriculture, Dr Tufton is a scholar and a business strategist. He is a graduate of the University of the West Indies, Mona, and Georgia State University, Atlanta, USA, where he received degrees in management studies and marketing, respectively. He completed his doctorate in business administration at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom (UK) in 2002.

Dr Tufton, whose area of expertise is international business and marketing strategy, specialising in foreign-direct investments and the impact of public policy on industry, has lectured and conducted business consultancy in Jamaica, the UK and the USA in a number of areas, including international marketing, business strategy and entrepreneurship. He has also served on several company boards.

Dr Tufton has written numerous research papers on marketing strategy, international competitiveness, foreign-direct investment, and public policy. In addition, he has had experience as a newspaper columnist, talk show host and in business. His experience in politics is also noteworthy.

Dr Tufton was a member of the JLP's youth arm, Young Jamaica, in the 1990s. Later, he became president of Generation 2000, then senator, member of parliament before his current role as minister of government.

[Willi]

FAO puts millions into cassava production
published: Tuesday | July 29, 2008

Shelly-Ann Thompson, Staff Reporter


Tufton

LOCAL CASSAVA production has been boosted with the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) investing some US$250,000 (J$18 million) specifically for the production of the root crop through an initiative of the Ministry of Agriculture.

Speaking with The Gleaner yesterday, Dr Dunstan Campbell, FAO representative to Jamaica, The Bahamas and Belize, said the world body was encouraging the production of the staple within poor countries to help protect food and energy security, threatened by soaring food and oil prices.

"We are supporting the production of cassava for food and agro-processing," said Campbell.

Irish and sweet potatoes to benefit

The initiative between the FAO and the ministry will be formalised with a signing agreement at the Denbigh Agricultural and Industrial Show, scheduled for this weekend in Clarendon.

Campbell said a substantial amount of the funding would go towards cassava production, while the cultivation of Irish and sweet potatoes would also be boosted by the assistance.

Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton has been rapped for his drive to boost cassava production, in conjunction with other staples, as a means of decreasing the number of food imports for animal feed and consumption.

Thus far, some 100 acres of cassava have been planted in Spanish Town, St Catherine, facilitated by the ministry, since Tufton announced the project in April during his contribution to the 2008-2009 Budget Debate.

Planting to start soon

Dean Passard, project coordinator for the Cassava Industrialisation Development Initia-tive (CIDI), said planting was soon to commence on 200 acres at Amity Hall in the parish.

"We are staggering the planting, so everything is not reaped at once," said Passard.

The CIDI coordinator said the FAO assistance would aid in allocating agricultural inputs needed for the cultivation of cassava, such as fertiliser, planting material and herbicides.

"That's what that money is earmarked for," said Passard.

Last week, cassava scientists, the Global Cassava Partnership, conducted a worldwide conference in Ghent, Belgium, under the guidance of FAO Global Cassava Development Strategy.

FAO reported that the scientists called for a significant increase in investment in research and development to boost farmers' yields and explore promising industrial uses of cassava, including production of biofuels.

shelly-ann.thompson@gleanerjm.com



FAO cassava report
The following are FAO reports on cassava production and consumption:
Cassava is widely grown in tropical Africa, Asia and Latin America.

Cassava is the developing world's fourth-most important crop, with production in 2006 estimated at 226 million tonnes.

It is the staple food of nearly a billion people in 105 countries.

Cassava is also the cheapest known source of starch, and used in more than 300 industrial products.

[Skeng DX]

remind me...what type of opposition was he met with...'opposition' is being used vaguely here...be specific

[Willi]

Time to do your own research. No spoon feeding of the patently obvious.