Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford????

Former Prime Minister and ambassador-designate to China, Sir Lloyd Erskine Sandiford, paid a farewell call yesterday on Agriculture Minister, Senator Haynesley Benn, at the Ministry’s Graeme Hall headquarters, where the two officials discussed a myriad of issues related to agriculture.??

Sir Lloyd, who will visit individual Ministries before he takes up his tenure in China, indicated that the agricultural sector was one of the key areas in which the Chinese government had shown some interest over the last few years. Since then they (the Chinese) had contributed to some major projects, and plan to expand areas of cooperation for future ventures.

In February, this year, the Ministries of Agriculture of Barbados and China, jointly signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU), respecting cooperation on agricultural matters between the two countries. The collaborative priorities included in the MOU, but not limited to it, were: protected agriculture; fisheries and fish processing; soil conservation; crop farming and breeding; animal farming; farming fruits and vegetables; sugar cane farming and processing; water irrigation and other areas of common interest.

Mr. Benn also hinted that his Ministry would seek to explore exchange visits between the two nations, since there were professional short courses being offered for agronomists and engineers as well as study tours for technicians/foremen.

Other topics raised were the use of low-end greenhouse technology, soil conservation engineering and hydrology.

Barbados and China established diplomatic relations on May 30, 1977.

tblackman@barbados.gov.bb

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