New minister for agriculture, Hon Reginald Austrie has articulated plans to reorganise that ministry in order to foster a more direct rapport with farmers.
Hon Austrie says if Dominica is to succeed in agriculture, certain structural changes must be made.
“One thing is clear, if we are to succeed in agriculture there has to be some administrative and structural changes to the ministry both at the ministry level and at the farm level. We have to make the ministry work for the farmers. The farmers are too important a sector in the society for them to be so low in the chain of agriculture in this country,” he said.
He disclosed that his ministry will embark on a ‘meet the farmers tour’ sometime soon. “That tour will primarily constitute of taking your telephone numbers and giving you my telephone number that you can have a direct relationship and direct contact with the minister,” he explained.
Hon Austries says this approach will allow for the quicker delivery of service to the farmers. He is expected to present these recommendations for approval to the Cabinet of ministers this week.
Hon Austrie was addressing the AID bank’s 25th annual general meeting last Wednesday.