Agriculture on Road to Recovery – Minister Green

• The agricultural sector, which suffered significant damage during the passage of Hurricane Beryl, is on the road to recovery owing to decisive action by the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) and the resilience of farmers and fisherfolk.
• This was noted by Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, as he provided an update on the Hurricane Beryl Recovery Programme in the House of Representatives on September 24.
• Mr. Green said that, to date, almost $900Mn has been allocated through the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) to execute the Hurricane Beryl Recovery Programme.
• “I am pleased that the Government was able to allocate an additional $1.4 billion towards the Hurricane Beryl Recovery Programme,” he pointed out. The Minister said the funds have been directed towards providing seeds, fertilisers, livestock, infrastructure rehabilitation, and technical assistance to farmers and other critical activities.
• Mr. Green reported that assessments reveal that 14,370 farmers across the parishes of St. Elizabeth, Manchester, Clarendon, St. Catherine, Westmoreland, Trelawny, and St. Ann have directly benefited from this program through RADA. This initiative not only supports farmers in their recovery but also strengthens the agricultural community as a whole, fostering resilience and sustainability in the face of future challenges.
• Although the sector is on the path to recovery, adverse weather conditions associated with the hurricane season continue to pose a risk that could disrupt this progress. Minister Floyd Green has indicated that over 100 farmers have been affected by the recent heavy rainfall across Jamaica.

(Source: JIS &NCBCM Research)