Electoral promises were made to revitalize agriculture in Panama’s ‘bread basket’ as six of the eight presidential candidates participated in the agricultural debate that took place in Volcán, Tierras Altas, Chiriquí.  The presidential candidates faced each other in the agricultural debate, a meeting where the candidates for the Las Garzas palace promised what the sector wanted to hear. Very little clash of opinions and good answers were presented for some long and technical questions.

The candidates spoke about the mechanisms to implement the new Law 352 that dictates the State Agri-Food Policy, they promised to depoliticize the entities linked to the sector, they committed to reducing imports , they considered their recipes to achieve food security, proposed renegotiating the Trade Promotion Agreement (TPC) with the United States (EU), and promised to strengthen agriculture with technology and technical support to achieve competitiveness.  Phrases like “from day one”, “depoliticize”, “support the producer”, and “fight corruption”, were heard several times.

Melitón Arrocha, candidate for the free nomination and the Social Independent Alternative Party, was the first to take to the microphone. He recalled that the food sector represents 2% of the GDP and 14% of employment in Panama. Like Rómulo Roux, the candidate of the alliance between Cambio Democrático and the Panameñista Party; and Zulay Rodríguez, of the free nomination; they promised to align all institutions in the sector with Law 352.  Roux was more specific and he talked about updating the legal framework of these entities while Rodríguez is committed to aligning 350 offices in the sector. 

Arrocha spoke of taking the Ministry of Agricultural Development to the countryside, Roux promised to appoint a minister of the sector who is “on the street.”  José Gabriel Gaby Carrizo the presidential candidate of the Democratic Revolutionary Party (PRD), who also serves as vice president of the Republic, attacked Martín Torrijos the candidate of the Popular Party.  He of course, praised “the courage” of the current president Laurentino Cortizo, who resigned from a government that was “betraying” the agricultural sector by eliminating support from the Special Interest Compensation Fund (FECI).  Cortizo was Minister of Agricultural Development in the Torrijos government (2004-2009), and resigned in January 2006 due to disagreements in the TPC negotiations with the US.  Torrijos, hit back. He mentioned to Gaby that he is confusing a European country with figures from Panama, in reference to an episode of the first presidential debate (February 26th), when the PRD candidate equated Panama's security with that of France and Panama. 

The PP standard-bearer, on several occasions promised to transform agriculture so that it is “productive and profitable.” “The transformation of the country requires that agriculture be successful,” he said and immediately blamed the last three governments for neglecting the sector. Ricardo Lombana, the presidential candidate of the Otro Camino Movement, promised that in the first 100 days of his government, he will elevate food sovereignty to constitutional status.  He promised to allocate resources to the sector and take politics out of the institutions.  “How is it possible that we are in a country in which presidential candidates have to be asked what measures we are going to take to ensure that the current law is complied with?” said the candidate in reference to the first question: What will he do to adapt the legal framework of Law 352 to the agricultural sector?