agriculture

Food security analyzed

A forum at the Universidad de Panamá raised questions about food security in the country.

Agriculture officials announced that rice harvests this season will meet national demand.

LA PRENSA

in the supermarket: Economists met with agricultural officials to identify key measures that could be taken to ensure that all Panamanians have equal access to food supplies in spite of ever rising prices. 1094745

Diagnosing and resolving potential threats to the country’s food security was the focus of a forum held yesterday at the Universidad de Panamá (UP). Attesting to the gravity of the issue, several agriculture officials attended the meeting, including ministro de Desarrollo Agropecuario Guillermo Salazar, president of the Consejo Nacional de la Empresa Privada Gustavo García de Paredes, former director of Instituto de Mercadeo Agropecuario Hatuey Castro and economist Juan Jované.

Topping the list of concerns were price hikes and shortages of certain basic food goods, which had pushed prices up by 15.2 percent over the past twelve months, according to data from the Contraloría.

The presenters then identified four key measures to be implemented with the aim of lessening the effects of what some analysts have described as a global food crisis.

“We agree that we must define a long-term agricultural plan, which includes not only short-term financial and technical assistance,” said economic expert Jované. “But also continued development of roadways, stabilizing input costs and access to appropriate technology.”

Jované suggested that measures be taken to better organization the population, combat the negative effects of speculation on food prices and expand the channels of direct State assistance to ensure an equal access to food among indigenous people and other marginalized groups. That access could involve, among other things, improving the effectiveness of social assistance projects, such as the Red de Oportunidades and school meal programs.

Desarrollo Agropecuario minister Guillermo Salazar delivered good news during his presentation, announcing that the country’s rice supply this year is guaranteed.

“The level of productivity of rice is superior to that which existed before the outbreak of the Spinky pest,” he said. “And there are 53,000 hectares planted, nearly 6,000 hectares above what they had last year.”

More than 600,000 quintals (1 quintal = 100 pounds) of rice have been harvested so far this season.

Rice farmers are expected to reap a total of 7 million quintals of the product by the end of this cycle in June 2009, if the 70 hectares are planted as scheduled.