Jack Wilkinson, the former head of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and past president of the International Federation of Agricultural producers, says that Canadians can play a significant role in the introduction of technology to developing countries.
The generation of producers that is leaving Canadian farms could help advance agriculture in many parts of the world.
Jack Wilkinson told a gathering of farm advisors that they, along with Canadian farmers, could be a tremendous information source in developing countries.
Wilkinson, a long time head of the Canadian Federation of Agriculture and Past President of the International Federation of Agricultural Producers, told the group that they could provide tremendous resources in areas of developing agriculture.
While the IFAP has more than 100 country members it has had strong leadership from Canada, Glenn Flaten, an earlier president, was the first president to travel to all of the member countries during his tenure of leadership.
Wilkinson says that there is a need to go beyond the goodwill visit now, the IFAP has to help these nations bring their food production up to their potential capacities.
He dismisses critics who are concerned about raising production and hurting Canadian markets.
“Many of these areas have subsistence or less agriculture. The people are not buying our products at this time and will not be able to afford it,” he says. “It is a matter of helping them produce enough to eat and Canadians can help in that regard.”
Wilkinson explained that in many countries the idea of organizing farmers still runs into road blocks politically as governments see the farm groups as a threat to their authority. “We need to not only help these people produce food but to organize as well,” he says. “Organizations need not be political. They can help with the extension of information and bringing of new methods to these farmers.”
He suggested an organization like Canadian Executives Overseas, which has been termed an adult version of CUSO, as an excellent group to work with in helping countries that lag behind in technology.
“It need not be a year-long placement,” he said. “Even four or five months in one of these countries can make a difference, and it can be done during the Canadian winter.”
He might have a lot of people looking for southern placement after recent weather.
