Fernando Eguren Days after President Garcia's speech on July 28, which established some ambitious economic and social goals for 2011 - the year in which his term ends - the Minister of Agriculture , Ismael Benavides, did the same in the Plaza de Acho. The media have reported on some of the characteristics of the call, officials of the agricultural sector were taken in buses to fill the stands, fishing without ears or tail, pifeadera the Hon.
Peru, leader in agricultural production may
infected with the boundless optimism presidential Minister Benavides average-uncle Peru in 2015 to become the leading country in agricultural production in the Pacific coast of America South. That GDP agriculture would reach 12 billion dollars (apparently the confidence in the new soles still does not like to make projection of medium-term in our currency), that in 2011 agricultural exports al-canzarían U.S. $ 4.5 billion (U.S. $ 2100 in 2006), which would create 400 000 new employees pleos 200 000 direct and indirect, that rural poverty would decrease by 35%.
Piña. It Alvaro Rojas, the Chilean counterpart Benavides, estimates that this year Chile will be exporting agricultural products worth U.S. $ 10 billion, more than double than projected by our minister in four years. Just this fact to question the goal of being leaders in agricultural production by 2015.
On the other hand, with the dynamic that Chilean agriculture, between 1987 and 1996, rural poverty fell only by 23%. What to say Benavides is based in Peru's rural poverty reduction will be much higher in much smaller time?
Another goal advanced by the Minister was that the average annual growth in agriculture will be 7% until 2011. Meta baseless because, according to information from the Ministry of Agriculture itself, the annual change in agricultural production since 2003 was, year after year, 1.9%, 1.7%, 4.8.%, 7.2%, and the projection for 2007 is 4.5%. It is also very daring overtaking growth rates of a productive sector that is highly dependent on climate variations, even more if global climate change make it even less predictable.
The water problem
Acierta Minister to raise the issue of water and it is necessary to mention the management and conservation of watersheds. But not necessarily hits in their priorities. Offers 200 thousand new hectares of irrigated land on the coast and the Sierra, 30 000 new hectares irrigated by drip into the mountains, 100 thousand hectares recovered on the coast and mountains. But no mention of the serious problem of water pollution from mine tailings, industrial and urban waste, which affects a large number of rivers and lakes in the country, being the most scandalous case the Mantaro River. Nor does it mention the need to reduce crop areas that make heavy use of water and contribute to salinization (and loss of fertility, therefore) of soils, especially on the coast. Rather, it is promoting the expansion of sugar cane fields to make ethanol. If no drastic measures against water pollution, salinization of soils and deforestation, it is meaningless recover 100 thousand hectares [1] because new areas will continue to deteriorate. Markets
In relation to 'market access', another of the pillars - and the name of the minister - of the agricultural policy of this government, reiterated its support for agricultural exports but makes no mention of the FTA United States the need "to design a sys-tem fair compensation to reach the poorest when they most need it."
on agricultural credit, and the Minister Benavides had rejected the law passed by the Con-gress that Agrobanco operate as retail banking, it offers no alternative to fit the needs of finance for small farmers. Pro-me-you throw the agricultural insurance 'in the first quarter of 2008, "which is now a ritual ofrecimien-to any new minister.
Offers develop an information system 'capable of reaching eight million Peruvians' by an Agricultural Information System using Channel 7 and Radio National. If you do, congratulations, but here it could be more ambitious, given the experience in information systems in a pilot course using modern information and communication technologies - including the interesting experience with the development CEPES Valley Board Members Chancay Huaral - and the spread of Internet connections in many rural areas.
proposes further agricultural research 'to achieve higher yields of major products, "mentioning two coastal crops, corn and cotton, but without specifying what criteria to define those who are leading those who are not (may be covering more area, or more are exported, or those that produce the majority of farmers ...) or resources to be allocated.
The offer of a "productive rural development fund" of more than U.S. $ 1000 million for the saw struck, then the minister said it would be an integrated fund ongoing programs like FONCODES.
Sierra Export Program
Minister Benavides had already expressed their displeasure at another time with this program led by engineer Gaston Benza who, throughout his short driving has shown little understanding of the complexities of physical, economic and social in that region. Neither President García - supposedly the creator and ideologist of this program - not the Minister Benavides deigned to mention. Benza sign that either falls, or the whole program falls.
We deserve better proposals
There are experiences and accumulated knowledge, both in public administration and outside it, that could support strategic options and related policies more suited to the realities and needs of a very complex country but at the same time many potentialities. But more realistic goals can be better informed less conspicuous and spectacular. Not a good demonstration of the ability of government targets likely meet throwing ego ruler, but not necessarily true priorities or are not attainable.
---------------------------- [1] In late 1970, the National Office Evaluation of Natural Resources, ONERN, Maba estimated that two in five acres of farmland on the coast, some 300 000 hectares, were salinity-lysed, and half of them seriously. ONERN was liquidated during the Fujimori government, and since then there is no in-public entity systematically to monitor the status of our natural resources.
