Farmers Commended for their Output Despite Climate Change Impact  

Deputy Governor-General and Custos of Kingston, the Hon. Steadman Fuller, is commending the over 200,000 farmers in Jamaica for “expending their time, energy and effort to ensure that agriculture can still be counted as a major contributor to national development.”

His comments were made at the recent Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show where he also cited the effects of climate change on the local agriculture sector.

Denbigh 64 was staged under the theme Grow What We Eat…Eat What We Grow: Through Climate Smart Agriculture.

Custos Fuller who was deputizing for Governor-General Sir Patrick Allen said that flood rains and bush fires that have destroyed hundreds of acres of crops and farm lands are reminders of the destructive force of climate change.

“Climate change is a ticking time bomb. If left unchecked, climate change could reduce crop yields and the overall contribution of agriculture to national development,” he declared.

Noting that there is no single solution to the threat from climate change, the Deputy Governor-General called for the implementation of measures to ensure that the agriculture sector and farming communities in particular, could remain viable.   He also urged Jamaicans to buy local produce in order to keep Jamaican businesses afloat and Jamaican jobs secured.

The Champion Farmer for 2016 is Mr. Neville Grant, a pig farmer from Hanover, Mr. Andrew Simpson of St. Mary was named the Young Champion farmer, while Ms. Jade Lee was declared the Female Farmer of the year.