Agri Project In Essex Valley Will Transform Sector

State Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Franklin Witter, has hailed the Essex Valley Agriculture Development Project (EVADP) in St. Elizabeth as a game changer that will make a tangible difference in agro-producing communities within the project area.

“This will ultimately enhance agricultural production and productivity, as approximately… 810 hectares of agricultural lands within Essex Valley will be fully irrigated,” he said.

Mr. Witter was speaking at the Essex Valley Agricultural Development Authority (EVADA) community consultation held at the Comma Pen Church of God of Prophecy in Comma Pen, St Elizabeth, on Friday (April 1).

He says the project will remedy longstanding issues affecting farming in the parish, including water supply challenges and marketing concerns.

On completion, more than 700 farmers operating on 810 hectares of land in the Essex Valley region will benefit from an irrigation system that will deliver 1,700 cubic metres per hour of water.

“This project will not only provide irrigation”, he highlighted, but also cover other areas such as development of marketing facilities to include packaging, sanitation and food-safety areas he added. Marketing services will also be provided to boost farmers’ access to consumers inside and outside of Jamaica.

The State Minister further noted that provisions will be made under EVAPD to reduce waste of products when there is a glut in the market.

“Now, this project is aimed at solving some of these issues… so that when you have your products, those that we can’t eat on the table, we can package… and sell… on the local… and international markets,” he indicated.

The farmers will also benefit from associated marketing facilities and farmer advisory services.
EVADP is being funded with a £35.515-million grant from the United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund and administered by the Caribbean Development Bank.

The project, which was slated for completion in June 2023 is now set to culminate in December 2023, following delays induced by the coronavirus (COVID 19) pandemic and the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.