$631.7 Million Allocated for REDI II Project

A sum of $631.7 million has been earmarked to continue work to enhance access to markets and climate-resilient approaches for targeted beneficiaries in the tourism and agriculture sectors.

The details of the allocation, provided under the Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) II, is contained in the 2023/24 Estimates of Expenditure, which is before the House of Representatives.

Targets for the upcoming fiscal year include the rehabilitation of the St. Mary Multipurpose Cooperative Society cold storage and the Hanover Bee Farmers’ Cooperative Society honey bottling facilities, and the REDI II Agro-Invest Corporation’s Irrigation

Infrastructure subprojects at Plantation Garden River and Ebony Park.

In addition, work will be undertaken to instal the REDI II Plumwood Pumping Station photovoltaic (PV) solar system; construct the REDI II Jamaica Conservation and Development Trust Holywell cabins; provide capacity-building, seedlings and chemicals to agriculture and community tourism enterprises; procure and instal equipment at the All-Island Banana Growers’ Association, while continued support will be provided for Coffee Traders Limited.

Achievements as of December 2022 include completion of a coffee marketing strategy and an inception report for a market demand study for community tourism, and development of climate-resilient integrated disaster-risk-reduction training content, inclusive of the training curriculum.

In addition, a videoconferencing and multimedia solution was developed, and COVID-19 resilience and capacity-building for agriculture and community tourism enterprises enhanced.

Also, preliminary designs for the rehabilitation of Hanover Bee Farmers’ Honey Bottling Facility were completed, so too the preliminary design for the rehabilitation of St. Mary Multipurpose Cooperative and Photovoltaic System, and the final design for the installation of the Plumwood Pumping Station Photovoltaic System.

The project is being implemented by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) with funding from the International Bank for Reconstruction and Development (IBRD) and the Government of Jamaica.