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Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda (centre), closely examines fibre optic cable at CB Cabling Technologies’ display booth, while Director of Technical Services at the company, Clarence Blake, explains its use. Occasion was the closing ceremony of the 2016 Scotiabank Vision Achiever Programme held at Scotiabank Corporate Learning Centre in Kingston on August 31. At right is Vice President for Marketing, Scotiabank Jamaica, Yanique Forbes.
Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda (centre), closely examines fibre optic cable at CB Cabling Technologies’ display booth, while Director of Technical Services at the company, Clarence Blake, explains its use. Occasion was the closing ceremony of the 2016 Scotiabank Vision Achiever Programme held at Scotiabank Corporate Learning Centre in Kingston on August 31. At right is Vice President for Marketing, Scotiabank Jamaica, Yanique Forbes.

Samuda Calls for Lowering of Interest Rates on MSME Loans

Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda, is calling for banks to lower interest rates to single digit, in order to boost production and growth within the micro, small and medium enterprise (MSME) sector. He cited agriculture...
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson (left), and Programme Director for the Agricultural Competitiveness Programme (ACP), Petronia Colley, listen attentively to a presentation at the two-day training seminar on ‘Farm Enterprise Management’, held at the Hyatt Ziva/Zilara Rose Hall hotel, Montego Bay, St. James, on August 29.
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson (left), and Programme Director for the Agricultural Competitiveness Programme (ACP), Petronia Colley, listen attentively to a presentation at the two-day training seminar on ‘Farm Enterprise Management’, held at the Hyatt Ziva/Zilara Rose Hall hotel, Montego Bay, St. James, on August 29.

Jamaican Producers Benefit from Globalisation – Head of the Agricultural Competitiveness Programme (ACP)
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, addresses training seminar on ‘Farm Enterprise Management’, at the Hyatt Ziva/Zilara Rose Hall hotel in Montego Bay, St. James, on August 29.
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, addresses training seminar on ‘Farm Enterprise Management’, at the Hyatt Ziva/Zilara Rose Hall hotel in Montego Bay, St. James, on August 29.

Minister Emphasises Importance of Agro-Economic Zones
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson (left), speaking with Agribusiness Specialist, Ainsworth Riley, at the opening of a two-day seminar on Farm Enterprise Management at the Hyatt Ziva/Zilara Hotel, Montego Bay, St. James, on August 29.
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson (left), speaking with Agribusiness Specialist, Ainsworth Riley, at the opening of a two-day seminar on Farm Enterprise Management at the Hyatt Ziva/Zilara Hotel, Montego Bay, St. James, on August 29.

Hutchinson Emphasises Importance of Agriculture to Growth
Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda (second right), and Director of Fisheries in the Ministry, Gilbert Kong (second left), observe as vendors prepare fish for sale, prior to the start of the opening ceremony for a wellness fair co-hosted by the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) Community Safety and Security Branch and the Greenwich Farm Fisherfolks Beach Watch Community Group, at the Greenwich Farm fishing village, located along Marcus Garvey Drive in Kingston, on August 26.
Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Karl Samuda (second right), and Director of Fisheries in the Ministry, Gilbert Kong (second left), observe as vendors prepare fish for sale, prior to the start of the opening ceremony for a wellness fair co-hosted by the Jamaica Constabulary Force’s (JCF) Community Safety and Security Branch and the Greenwich Farm Fisherfolks Beach Watch Community Group, at the Greenwich Farm fishing village, located along Marcus Garvey Drive in Kingston, on August 26.

Gov’t Hints at Possible Renovation of Greenwich Farm Fishing Village

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Executive Director, Scientific Research Council (SRC), Dr. Cliff Riley, speaking at a JIS ‘Think Tank’.
Agriculture

National Innovation Awards Applications Close Aug. 31

The Scientific Research Council (SRC) is reminding that applications for the National Innovation Awards will close on August 31, 2016. The awards, scheduled for November 2016, will highlight excellence in innovation and creativity in various areas of Science. Executive Director of the SRC, Dr. Cliff Riley, told JIS News that the applications have been coming in slowly; however he expects...
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National Irrigation Commission (NIC) Chairman, Senator Aubyn Hill (right), greets Technical Officer from the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Austria, Lena Heng (centre), at the opening of a four-day workshop titled ‘Optimizing Irrigation Water Management to Improve Crop Output and Water Quality Control’, at the Ministry’s offices in St. Andrew on August 22. At left is Manager of Agronomic Research and Development at Sentek Technologies in Adelaide, South Australia, Peter Buss.
Agriculture

Transformation of Irrigation Process a Must for Agriculture – Hutchinson

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, says sustainable growth of the agricultural sector requires transformation of the irrigation process. He pointed out that with issues such as inadequate water supply and climate change negatively impacting the growth of crops, structured and planned management of water resources is important. Mr. Hutchinson was...
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General Manager for the Commercial Division of JP Tropical Foods, Neil Crum-Ewing, addresses a recent JIS Think Tank.
AgricultureJIS Think Tank

JP Tropical Foods Looking to Use Drones to Combat Farm Theft

JP Tropical Foods Limited, manufacturers of the popular St. Mary’s Banana Chips, is exploring the use of drones to combat praedial larceny. Addressing a recent JIS Think Tank, General Manager for the company’s Commercial Division, Neil Crum-Ewing, informed that the entity loses some $40 million in revenue per year due to farm theft. He said the objective is to introduce...
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Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson (left) looks on as Senior Director for D&C Drones, Nigel Davy (2nd left), prepares to launch a drone. Occasion was a demonstration of the use and benefits of the technology to farmers in Lowe River, Trelawny, on August 16.
AgricultureTechnology

Agriculture Ministry Introduces Drones to Farmers

The Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, is collaborating with local company D&C Drones to revolutionise the agriculture sector through the introduction of drone technology. On Tuesday (Aug. 16) the Ministry took the technology to farmers in Lowe River, Trelawny, to demonstrate its use and applicability. Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, who observed the tests,...
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Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson (centre), has the full attention of farmers in Lowe River, Trelawny yesterday (Aug.16), as he explains how the use of drones will boost productivity in the sector.
AgricultureNational Security

Plans Advanced for Use of Drones to Combat Praedial Larceny

Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, says plans are well advanced for the use of drones to combat the problem of praedial larceny. Addressing farmers and other stakeholders at a drone demonstration session in Lowe River, Trelawny, on August 16, Mr. Hutchinson informed that the unmanned aerial vehicles will be equipped...
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President of the Jamaica Egg Farmers’ Association (JEFA), Mr. Roy Baker (right), presents a tray of eggs to Mrs. Ingrid Deer-Irving of the Kiwanis Club of Constant Spring, at a breakfast meeting at Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel in Kingston on August 12, to discuss a move to increase egg consumption in Jamaica. The Kiwanis Club of Constant Spring received a carton of eggs to be donated to the St. Matthew 25:40 Children’s Home.
Agriculture

JAS President Hails Push to Increase Egg Production

President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), Norman Grant, is hailing a projection by the Government to increase egg production to 160 million for 2016. He further commended egg farmers for the over 100 million eggs produced last year. “We have to celebrate the egg industry. There was a time when we had to import eggs… but over the last...
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Managing Director at the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), Omar Sweeney (at podium), delivers the keynote address at the launch of a $19-million programme to boost the country’s capacity to produce clean Irish potato seedlings, on August 15 at the Scientific Research Council (SRC) offices in St. Andrew. Others (from left) are Chief Post-Entry Officer at the Bodles Research Station, Dr. Peta-Gaye Chang; Consultant/Trainer with the programme, Dr. Juan Carlos Perez Guerra, and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Donovan Stanberry.
AgricultureCommerceLabour

JSIF Allocates $19 Million to Boost Production of Potato Seedlings

Jamaica’s capacity to produce clean Irish potato seedlings has been enhanced with a $19-million allocation from the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF). Under the programme, the money spent annually to import 90 per cent of Irish potato seeds into the island will be cut significantly, while the availability of first-generation seeds will be guaranteed throughout the year. Delivering the keynote...
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