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$450 Million Set Aside to Repair Farm Roads

By: , February 20, 2018

The Key Point:

The Government has allocated approximately $450 million for the repair of 234.3 kilometres of farm roads across the island.

The Facts

  • The project, being implemented by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), aims to over time, rehabilitate approximately 420 kilometres of rural roads across 98 extension areas in 13 parishes.
  • It is anticipated that the road-improvement works will result in a three per cent increase in production; provide employment for rural farm families; benefit registered farmers as well as attract new entrants to the agricultural sector.

The Full Story

The Government has allocated approximately $450 million for the repair of 234.3 kilometres of farm roads across the island.

Details are provided in the 2018/19 Estimates of Expenditure now before the House of Representatives.

The project, being implemented by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), aims to over time, rehabilitate approximately 420 kilometres of rural roads across 98 extension areas in 13 parishes.

The objective is to provide an estimated 20,000 farmers islandwide with direct access to markets, while improving commute for residents in the surrounding communities.

It is anticipated that the road-improvement works will result in a three per cent increase in production; provide employment for rural farm families; benefit registered farmers as well as attract new entrants to the agricultural sector.

Meanwhile, $100 million has been set aside to assist farmers with basic production-enhancing information, equipment, facilities, tools, livestock and planting materials under RADA’s Production Incentives project.

Among the objectives are strengthening of farmers’ resilience to climate change, enabling farmers to reduce production costs, diversifying and strengthening the livelihoods of targeted farmers, and developing an effective agricultural database.

Targets for 2018/19 include providing assistance to more than 10,000 farmers through rehabilitation of rainwater ponds, procurement and delivery of additional water tanks to farmers, acquisition of agricultural and farming supplies, rehabilitation of greenhouses, and training farmers in good land-husbandry practices.

Last Updated: February 20, 2018

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