$78 Million to Facilitate Jobs in Agricultural Sector

A total of $78 million has been allotted in the 2012/13 Estimates of Expenditure to facilitate job creation endeavours in the agricultural sector for this financial year.

Some 1,236 jobs are expected to be provided for the sector, through the Jamaica Emergency Employment Programme (JEEP), with funding support from the Petro Caribe Fund.

Interventions for this 2012/2013 financial year include the farm road maintenance project, which has been allotted $22 million of the sum to provide 400 jobs. In addition, the school feeding programme, with a provision of $14 million, is expected to engage 350 persons, in the provision of liquid eggs and fruit juices for the programme.

There is also a provision of $17 million of the figure for the expansion of the Rural Agricultural and Development Authority's (RADA) Twickenham Industry through the agri-marts and the Twickenham Bammy factory.  A total of 186 jobs are expected to be provided under this initiative.

Additionally, the re-verification and registration of farmers initiative, with an allocation of $6 million, is expected to provide 100 jobs; the urban farming initiative that will be given $2 million, should provide 50 jobs; the community/residential crop care experts initiative with a provision of $7 million, is expected to provide 100 jobs; and the nursery programme with an allotment of 10 million, is expected to provide another 50 jobs.

By Alecia Smith Edwards, JIS Reporter