88 More Land Titles Handed Over to Farmers Under Pedro Plains Irrigation Expansion Project

An additional 88 farmers in southern St. Elizabeth have received titles to property that they occupy.

The beneficiaries are from Newell, Newcombe Valley, Bellevue, Watchwell, Claremont, Pedro Plains, Burnt Savannah, among other communities.

The documents, which were handed over by Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, at Newell High School in the parish on Tuesday (July 22), form part of the $26-billion Pedro Plains Irrigation Expansion Project.

Prime Minister, Dr. the Most Hon. Andrew Holness, broke ground for the project on July 11, which aims to expand irrigation to 4,000 hectares of fertile land and benefit up to 6,000 farmers and households in the “breadbasket” parish.

A total of 200 land titles were handed over on the day, representing the first batch of 1,000 titles being provided free of cost to residents in the area.

Minister Green, in his remarks, explained that the issuance of the titles is critical to the overall execution of the irrigation scheme, as it ensures that the legal framework is in place for the project’s infrastructure, particularly the laying of the pipelines through privately owned lands.

“We brought in, through the National Irrigation Commission (NIC), Geoland Title Limited, the National Land Agency (NLA), and we used systematic land titling, where we could declare an area as a systematic area, and could issue titles for that entire area,” he outlined.

“We also decided to do that free of cost to every landowner who is receiving titles today,” he added.

Families are now empowered through landownership, particularly farmers, who can now use their titles to secure financing, expand operations and invest further in agriculture.

“Now, with this document, no one can question your right to be there. More than that, it gives you the power to secure your legacy… of farming because I know you will do more in agriculture with this document,” the Minister said.

The Pedro Plains Irrigation Expansion Project is expected to bring sustainable water access to thousands of farmers in southern St. Elizabeth.

By tapping into the Black River’s water resources, the initiative will increase irrigation capacity, bolster crop yields and enhance the region’s resilience against climate-related challenges.

Among the beneficiaries was Leonie Woodstock from Newell District, who told JIS News that the year-long titling process was “life-changing”.

“Now, some people cannot tell you that it (the land) is not yours anymore,” she said.

She expressed gratitude to the Government and all the agencies involved in the process for giving her “a sense of security”.

Another recipient, Gerald Brown, shared his joy at finally receiving his title after waiting more than two years.

He said it cements his ownership of the land and enables him to invest further in farming.