JAMAICA: Additional $1.4B to help rebuild agriculture and fisheries

By Mickella Anderson-Gordon

KINGSTON, Jamaica (JIS) – An additional $1.4 billion has been allocated to help rebuild the agricultural and fisheries sectors, following the recent passage of hurricane Beryl, announced by portfolio minister, Floyd Green. The sum will continue the work already started by an earlier allocation of $700 million.

“Of that $1.4 billion, we’re going to help our fishing beaches. A number of our fishing beaches suffered significant damage,” the Minister said, as he pointed to a $100-million allocation to help rehabilitate these spaces.

Speaking on Tuesday at the 70th staging of the Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show in May Pen, Clarendon, Green emphasised that the fishing beaches will be built back better, so that they can withstand natural disasters such as Beryl.

Providing further details of how the $1.4 billion will be spent, the minister stated that an additional $100 million will support the $55 million previously allocated to support the nation’s greenhouse farmers.

In addition, he said that the government will be providing the resources to build out the storage capacity of the agricultural sector.

“One of the challenges we have in natural disasters, we say to our farmers ‘go out, harvest what you can so that the storm doesn’t destroy it’, but unfortunately, the farmers harvest and then they have nowhere to store it. We’re going to be building out solar-powered storage capacity, so that when you harvest for a storm you can put it up,” the minister said. The team from the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), who has played an active role in the ongoing recovery of the sector.

The minister recalled that within two weeks of the Category 4 Beryl, the ministry was able to start distributing seeds to farmers. Already, more than 10,000 packets of seeds have been procured, and distribution to farmers in Clarendon, St Elizabeth and Manchester has started.

So far, more than 1,000 farmers have received support directly from the government, he highlighted.

Additionally, 5,000 bags of fertiliser were also procured and with the help of Newport-Fersan (Jamaica) Limited, distribution of an additional 2,000 bags began last week in Manchester.

During the Denbigh show, some 400 farmers from all parishes received direct support from the Ministry in the form of input supplies.

There were also a number of seminars that sought to equip farmers with the relevant knowledge needed to become more resilient.

“Yes, it is true that our sectors have suffered a significant battering, but you know, Jamaicans are some of the strongest people in the world. And if you want to pick out a subset of Jamaica, nobody is stronger than our farmers and our fishers. We will stand with you to ensure that we build back, that we build back better, that we build back stronger, but importantly, that we build back quickly,” minister Green said.