Resource information
Agricultural and Livestock Policy nine general objectives are: Assure basic food security for the nation, and to improve national standards of nutrition by increasing output, quality and availability of food commodities. Increase food crops production through productivity and livestock growth will be encouraged to private sector. Improve standards in the rural areas through increased income generation from agricultural and livestock production, processing and marketing: encouraging exports of cash crops, livestock products and agricultural surpluses. Produce and supply raw materials, including industrial crops, livestock, by-products and residues for local industries. Develop and introduce new technologies increasing the productivity of labour and land. Promote integrated and sustainable use of natural resources for environmental conservation. Develop human resources within the sector in order to increase the productivity of labour and improve ability. Promote specifically the access of women and youth to land, credit, education and information.Government priority will be given to the development of the traditional flocks, to exploit their potential for alleviating poverty, enhancing the incomes of women and improving family nutrition. The overall aim of agricultural research is to promote sustainable food security, income generation, employment growth and export enhancement through the development and dissemination of appropriate and environmentally friendly technology packages. Emphasis on environment has been put in the light of concern that some common technologies are undermining long term agricultural and livestock production. The development of irrigation systems is seen as an important aspect of the agricultural development strategy, which can help the nation to achieve the following objectives: Improvement of food security by increasing the production of rice which depends mainly on irrigation and maize through supplementary irrigation on predominantly rain fed fields; Increasing farmer's productivity and income. Production of high value crops.The next step is the choice of appropriate policy instruments that will enable the nation to move towards the stated objectives. By committing itself to market-based economy, Government choice of these instruments is limited and confined to the framework of this new policy. The appropriate instruments are the following: Agricultural research, extension and training; Monitoring and evaluation of agricultural development and identification of new opportunities (products), technologies, markets, etc. and promotion of new production processes; Collection and dissemination of market information in order to integrate the domestic markets and make foreign markets accessible; Facilitate the provision of a good infrastructure, especially transport and storage; Control of quality, hygienic and sanitary standards; Control of Vermin, epidemic pests and diseases; Providing an adequate legal and regulatory framework; Natural resources management; Promotion of institutional structures in the agricultural sector; Taxes and subsidies.
