RADA Lauds St. Ann JAS Branch Society

Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) Zonal Director, Bernard Goffe, has commended the St. Ann branch of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), for moving agriculture and rural development forward.
Mr. Goffe was speaking on behalf of RADA’s Chief Executive Officer, Al Powell, at the annual general meeting of the branch, on Wednesday (June 10) at the St. Mark’s Anglican Church Hall, Brown’s Town.
“Through all the challenges and successes over the years, RADA has remained committed to a working relationship and partnership with the JAS,” Mr. Goffe said.
“These partnerships, over the years, have been in farmer registration, farmer training, general agricultural development, community development, project implementation and disaster relief,” he added.
He reported that RADA, along with the JAS and other stakeholders, has been reaping tremendous success in agricultural production and productivity programmes in St. Ann.
“As a result of this, we have seen an increase in overall agricultural output in the parish of 44 per cent in 2009, when compared with the same period in the previous year,” he noted.
He said that new extensions, including livestock, marketing and general extension practitioners, were also added.
Pointing to the many agricultural development programmes and projects that RADA has ongoing in the parish, Mr. Goffe said that these programmes were doing very well and that many farmers were benefitting.
He said that the programmes were funded by the Government of Jamaica, along with several international agencies. He also announced that a RADA Tractor Service is soon to be launched in the parish and that farmers are expected to benefit tremendously from such.
Mr. Goffe encouraged the farmers to take advantage of the new opportunities that are, increasingly, being presented in agriculture, and to continue to play their role, effectively, in helping to feed the nation, despite the economic decline and food security issues that were now affecting the entire world.