IDB President Lauds Green House Project in Manchester

President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Luis Moreno, has lauded the Devon greenhouse project, as one that can help to meet world food demand.
“In the next 30 years, the world is going to need 50 per cent more of the food that we currently produce, and if you look at the areas of the world where this can be done, there is no doubt that it will be in Latin America and the Caribbean,” Mr. Moreno stated.
The IDB President who, along with Finance and Public Service Minister, Audley Shaw, yesterday (Jan.18) toured the project located in Manchester, informed that a team from the IDB will, this week, look at the possibility of making a grant available to expand the project.
“You have a basic structure here … to make this type of technology grow in these areas. It’s great,” he said, while urging the farmers to increase production.

President of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB), Luis Moreno (3rd left), looks at strawberries being grown in a greenhouse in Devon, Manchester, when he toured the project yesterday (Jan. 19). Minister of Finance and the Public Service, Audley Shaw (2nd left), accompanied Mr. Moreno on the tour.

Minister Shaw, in his remarks, noted that while the first phase of the project was concerned with the production of tubers and vegetable crops, the next phase will seek to increase the equity of farmers in the project.
“This is another way of doing agriculture, to make it productive and meaningful and lift the quality of life of the small farmers of Jamaica. We want to get our small farmers involved, get finances for them, so that they can put in their little share of equity, and produce”.
In addition, he indicated that “we are going to establish a modern package and storage plant where we will be able to price and transport the produce to hotels and export markets.”
The Devon greenhouse project was established in 2004 and is managed by the Christiana Potato Growers Co-operative Association. It comprises eight greenhouses on six hectares (15 acres) of land. Crops under production are cucumbers, lettuce, tomatoes, sweet peppers cauliflower, sweet and Irish potatoes and strawberries.