Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08KINGSTON984
2008-11-21 12:31:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kingston
Cable title:
JAMAICA: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE
VZCZCXRO6668 RR RUEHGR DE RUEHKG #0984 3261231 ZNR UUUUU ZZH R 211231Z NOV 08 ZDK FM AMEMBASSY KINGSTON TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 6976 INFO RUCNCOM/EC CARICOM COLLECTIVE RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC
UNCLAS KINGSTON 000984
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CAR (ACADIEUX) (VDEPIRRO) (WSMITH)
WHA/EPSC (MROONEY)(FCORNEILLE)
SANTO DOMINGO FOR FCS AND FAS
TREASURY FOR ERIN NEPHEW
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EINV ECON ETRD EAGR KIPR TSPL TRSY XL JM
SUBJECT: JAMAICA: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE
EMPHASIZES AGRICULTURE
REF: A) KINGSTON 949
1 (U) SUMMARY: Karl Samuda, Minister of Industry, Investment
and Commerce, told attendees at the 22nd annual Science and
Technology Conference that what separates Jamaica from the
rich and developed countries is the determination to apply
technology to production. He emphasized the importance of
developing profitable niche markets and in using intellectual
property rights protection to help producers. Dr. Monty
Jones, Executive Director of the Forum for Agricultural
Research in Africa, offered to share his rice technology and
partner with Jamaica on a policy level to distribute
technology to end users. End Summary.
2. (U) Samuda said that Jamaica?s land size is not an issue if
Jamaica uses its human capital. He pointed to Mauritius as an
example of a small country that introduced technology to
prosper in the world economy and encouraged Jamaica to do the
same. Both Samuda and Robert Gregory, Executive Director for
Jamaica Trade and Invest, said that the future of Jamaica?s
economy was in developing profitable niche markets such as
high quality coffee and ginger and through building on the
positive brand that Jamaica has in the world. He suggests that
the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office is an important tool
for protecting the country?s intellectual property rights.
Samuda and Gregory recognized that Jamaica cannot compete in
many industries, but rather, should focus on those in which it
has a comparative advantage.
3. (U) Jones recommended that Jamaica produce rice if it was
going to be a staple in the local diet. Jones received the
2004 World Food Nobel Laureate for his work in combining an
Asian and African strain of rice to create Nerica (New Rice
for Africa). The strain combines the production volume of the
Asian strain with the heartiness and durability of the African
strain and can grow in 75-90 days, allowing two crops to be
planted each year.
4. (U) Jones offered to partner with Jamaica, through FARA, in
the areas of technological advocacy, access to knowledge by
producers and manufacturers, and in the creation of necessary
government polices to improve scientific innovation in order
to raise farm production rates. Jones and Samuda both spoke
of the need for new technology created by scientists to reach
the farmers and productive end-users.
HEG
SIPDIS
STATE FOR WHA/CAR (ACADIEUX) (VDEPIRRO) (WSMITH)
WHA/EPSC (MROONEY)(FCORNEILLE)
SANTO DOMINGO FOR FCS AND FAS
TREASURY FOR ERIN NEPHEW
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: EINV ECON ETRD EAGR KIPR TSPL TRSY XL JM
SUBJECT: JAMAICA: SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY CONFERENCE
EMPHASIZES AGRICULTURE
REF: A) KINGSTON 949
1 (U) SUMMARY: Karl Samuda, Minister of Industry, Investment
and Commerce, told attendees at the 22nd annual Science and
Technology Conference that what separates Jamaica from the
rich and developed countries is the determination to apply
technology to production. He emphasized the importance of
developing profitable niche markets and in using intellectual
property rights protection to help producers. Dr. Monty
Jones, Executive Director of the Forum for Agricultural
Research in Africa, offered to share his rice technology and
partner with Jamaica on a policy level to distribute
technology to end users. End Summary.
2. (U) Samuda said that Jamaica?s land size is not an issue if
Jamaica uses its human capital. He pointed to Mauritius as an
example of a small country that introduced technology to
prosper in the world economy and encouraged Jamaica to do the
same. Both Samuda and Robert Gregory, Executive Director for
Jamaica Trade and Invest, said that the future of Jamaica?s
economy was in developing profitable niche markets such as
high quality coffee and ginger and through building on the
positive brand that Jamaica has in the world. He suggests that
the Jamaica Intellectual Property Office is an important tool
for protecting the country?s intellectual property rights.
Samuda and Gregory recognized that Jamaica cannot compete in
many industries, but rather, should focus on those in which it
has a comparative advantage.
3. (U) Jones recommended that Jamaica produce rice if it was
going to be a staple in the local diet. Jones received the
2004 World Food Nobel Laureate for his work in combining an
Asian and African strain of rice to create Nerica (New Rice
for Africa). The strain combines the production volume of the
Asian strain with the heartiness and durability of the African
strain and can grow in 75-90 days, allowing two crops to be
planted each year.
4. (U) Jones offered to partner with Jamaica, through FARA, in
the areas of technological advocacy, access to knowledge by
producers and manufacturers, and in the creation of necessary
government polices to improve scientific innovation in order
to raise farm production rates. Jones and Samuda both spoke
of the need for new technology created by scientists to reach
the farmers and productive end-users.
HEG