National Food Production Action Plan.

The National Food Production Action Plan is a national policy with a cross-sectoral approach. The timeframe of the Action Plan is 4 years between 2013 and 2016. The specific goals of this Action Plan are: (i) a reduction in the food import bill, (ii) provision of sustainable and long-term employment, (iii) stable food prices domestically, and (iv) diversification of the agricultural sector.
Access to nutritionally safe food of all will be ensured by increasing the production of a wide variety of crop and livestock products with focus on six commodity groups. Special emphasis will be given to the production of nutritionally rich food commodities which are staples, legumes, nuts, fruits, vegetables, fats and oils, and food of animal origin. Food consumption patterns will be changed through strong collaboration between agriculture, health and education.
Agricultural production will be increased through the effective and efficient use of all resources in an evironmentally sustainable manner. Soil conservation will be ensured to optimize soil fertility. Scientific training will be provided for improved plant nutrition practices. Water-use efficiency will be enhanced by promoting the use of drip irrigation method. Plant nutritional uptake will be optimized through the use of fertilization systems. Land use planning will be strengthened to identify lands which are most suitable for agricultural production. Water harvesting, specifically for aquaculture use will be encouraged. Diversification of the agricultural sector will be ensured by increasing production in other sub-sectors such as livestock, fisheries, aquaculture and poultry. Rehabilitation and expansion of breadfruit production will be encouraged. Local production of passion fruit will be increased in order to satisfy high local demand.
The enabling environment will be created to promote agricultural production and agri-business among young entrepreneurs through the Youth Agri-Entrepreneurial Project. Assistance will be provided to farmers to enable efficient management of their farms as well as for better husbandry practices and production planning. Easier access to planting materials will be provided to farmers. An education programme for farmers in terms of utilizing crop rotation methods will be undertaken by the Extension Division.
In order to meet the export demands, production of staple crops such as sweet potatoes, yams, dasheen, breadfruit, plantain, cassava and bananas will be increased. A more scientific approach will be adopted for plant health focusing on disease surveillance, monitoring and effective treatment. Farmers will be encouraged for using integrated pest management practices. Sanitary and phytosanitary measures will be taken to ensure consumer protection, such as certification of food of animal origin. Post-harvest technology will be fully utilized and activities such as cold storage and value-added activities will be improved to reduce post-harvest losses as well as to ensure longevity of the products. Market research will be conducted to analyze the market demands. A Database will be developed by the Ministry.