Jamaicas Food Import Dilemma

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Jamaica’s Food Import Dilemma Jamaica is one of the world’s most fertile regions. Traditionally this country has had a history of farming and agriculture. These traditions were the basis of their culture and heritage. However, in the past decade the agriculture has declined and imports have doubled. Billion dollar imports have caused a threat to the countries financial health and has caused a food crisis. The government is only funding to support farms developed in rural areas. However, Jamaica is urging its people to grow and develop farms where ever they can. The government has implemented a national food security campaign with the slogan “grow what we eat, eat what we grow.” “Jamaica has taken on a bold new strategy: make farming patriotic and ubiquitous, behind homes, hospitals, schools, even prisons.” (NY Times 2013) I agree with these solutions and this falls in line with Kant’s proposal of ethical duty. The two factors to consider when solving a dilemma using Kant’s method are used in the resolution of Jamaica’s food crisis. Hypothetical duties are covered because the purpose do the solution is to achieve financial independence from food exports to prevent a food crisis. I believe the steps the government has taken are tied to hypothetical duties. The categorical duty was applied with moral action to consider the entire country’s needs when solving this dilemma as opposed to special interest in government. In this environmental dilemma, Aristotle would approve of my solutions because the core of his idea of ethics is “good action”. His idea of a good life are happy mediums where the solution to this issue falls into. By the country growing it’s own food and helping to balance the economy to over time decrease the imports. If this becomes a successful practice or culture they may ultimately reach the level that they were before where they
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