Agriculture Ministry Allocates $134M for Drought Relief to Farmers

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining has allocated $134 million to provide tangible relief to farmers affected by the current dry period.

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Floyd Green, made the disclosure during a statement in the House of Representatives on Tuesday (February 4).

He indicated that while no parish has experienced a meteorological drought, seven recorded below-average rainfall, with measurements in December 2024 ranging from 53 per cent to 85 per cent of their 30-year climatological means.

“This means that seven parishes got lower rainfall than their 30-year average.

This shortfall in precipitation has resulted in challenging conditions for our agricultural sector, particularly in areas that have recorded consistently low rainfall,” Mr. Green said.

“The impact of this deficit is particularly concerning for farmers who rely on regular and sufficient rainfall to sustain their crops and livestock. Even in cases where some parishes experienced wetter-than-normal conditions, disparities in rainfall distribution have led to inconsistencies in water availability,” he added.

Mr. Green said farmers in parishes such as Portland, St. Mary and Kingston and St. Andrew, where increased wetness was recorded, may not immediately feel the strain.

However in most of the western parishes, including Westmoreland, St. Elizabeth and Hanover, and the central parishes of Manchester and Clarendon, rainfall levels fell below measurements for December 2023 and their 30-year average.

Recognising the urgency of the situation and the potential impact of drier months ahead, particularly February, March and July, Mr. Green said the Ministry has already commenced taking the necessary steps to alleviate the effects of the dry period and brace for the months to come.

“First on the front lines is water trucking, to aid in the hardest-hit parishes of St. Elizabeth, Manchester and Clarendon. The Ministry has already committed $30 million, of which $14 million will be administered by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and $16 million by the National Irrigation Commission (NIC) to accelerate delivery and to ensure that our farmers get the water that they need,” he outlined.

The Minister said private contractors will also be engaged to ensure that no farmer is left without access to this critical resource.

Mr. Green further informed that the NIC is fast-tracking the procurement of water tanks and drip irrigation hoses to ensure that those who need them most receive support.

He said $79 million has been earmarked to procure the tanks and drip irrigation kits.

The Ministry is also partnering with individual farmers and groups of farmers to establish water catchment areas, necessitating the provision of pond liners.

“We have earmarked $17 million to provide pond liners in response to our ongoing dry period,” Mr. Green said.

Additionally, $8 million is being earmarked to provide grass mulch, a powerful input to help farmers retain soil moisture and safeguard crops.