A total of 1,600 small farmers across five western parishes, which were hardest hit by hurricane Melissa, will benefit from an $80-million voucher programme to bolster their recovery. Being undertaken by the American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ) in partnership with Hardware & Lumber Limited (H&L) and H&L Foundation, the programme aims to provide farmers with access to critical agricultural inputs....

A sum of $1.46 billion will be allocated in fiscal year 2026/27 to advance initiatives that expand market access and promote climate-resilient practices for targeted beneficiaries in the tourism and agriculture sectors. The allocation, provided under the Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) II, is detailed in the 2026/27 Estimates of Expenditure, which was recently tabled in the House of Representatives...

The Government, through the Hurricane Melissa Recovery Programme, has rolled out a $100-million support package to help banana and plantain farmers rebound, following widespread impacts to the nation’s crops by the category-five system in October. Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, said some 4,170 hectares of banana and plantain were damaged during the storm. He further noted...

Commanding Officer for the Jamaica Constabulary Force's (JCF) Agricultural Protection Branch (APB), Senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) Oral Pascoe, is encouraging more cattle farmers to safeguard their animals by getting them tagged. He said that tagging provides “very effective protection” against praedial larceny, imploring farmers to, as best as possible, tag from birth. “The tagging is free at the moment...

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, has committed to repairing greenhouses in Mafoota, St. James, that were damaged during the passage of Hurricane Melissa in October. This is in addition to infrastructure upgrade, which will be done under the Second Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI-II) Greenhouse Cluster and Infrastructure Upgrade project. The project, which is being undertaken...

Chief Executive Officer of the Agro-Investment Corporation (AIC), Vivion Scully, has hailed the Matching Grant Scheme (MGS) as an important investment by the Government in the country’s farmers. An initiative under the Southern Plains Agricultural Development (SPAD) Project in collaboration with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) and the United Kingdom (UK) government, the initiative provides small and medium-sized farmers with...

The Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, has officially launched the Greenhouse Clusters and Cooperative Infrastructure Upgrade Project to strengthen year-round agricultural production by investing in climate-resilient practices in rural farming communities. The project, funded with an investment of $880.4 million under the Second Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI-II), will deliver 95 greenhouses in community clusters across...