Basseterre, St. Kitts (October 27, 2006): World Food Day, which was celebrated October 16, has been used as a vehicle to promote agriculture as a certified business.
Chairperson of the World Food Day Committee Mr. Paul Benjamin said that the annual activities have the important function of sensitizing the general public about the importance of agriculture. He emphasized that since man was created, humans have been eating and it is still so to today. He further noted that cellular phones are not necessary for our survival but we have to eat.
Mr. Benjamin mentioned the stigma given to work in the agriculture sector. He said that in speaking to some secondary school students one of them told him as a matter of fact that people do not want to go into agriculture because it is still seen as slavery. The student exemplified being in the sun all day and using implements such as a hoe as part of the lot of a slave. The World Food Day Committee Chairperson said that this mindset has to be changed. He reemphasized that this is why it is critical to educate persons on the limitless possibilities of agriculture as a business.
Mr. Benjamin elaborated that just like any other business such as a restaurant or a bakery there has to be input to receive a particular output. He said that in agriculture inputs would include land preparation , fertilizer, seeds, plants, chemicals and labour cost. The final output is the agriculture produce. Mr. Benjamin said that it is then up to the farmer to market his produce, ensuring that the sale price reflects the cost of production in order to make profit.
World Food Day was celebrated internationally on October 16 while activities held locally ran from October 11 with Talks in Secondary Schools to the November 07 Prize Giving Ceremony for Farmers and Fishers.
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