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Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Derrick Kellier, addresses a ceremony for the handing over of thousands of banana and plantain suckers and corms to farmers from Portland and St. Mary, held at the Orange River Agricultural Research Station in Highgate on Thursday, January 14.

Agriculture Ministry Distributes Planting Material to Banana and Plantain Farmers

Banana and plantain farmers in St. Mary and Portland, who have been affected by the recent drought, have received donations of planting material from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries to resuscitate their farms and boost production. Portfolio Minister, Hon....

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Derrick Kellier (right), hands over
a bag of fertilizer to farmer, Ernest Dennis (left), following a tour of
several farms in East Rural St. Andrew which were affected by fires in May
2015. The provision is part of the Government — Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Derrick Kellier (right), hands over a bag of fertilizer to farmer, Ernest Dennis (left), following a tour of several farms in East Rural St. Andrew which were affected by fires in May 2015. The provision is part of the Government's $25 million mitigation and rehabilitation intervention. At centre is Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) officer, Ricardo Thomas.

Agriculture Ministry Provides $3 Million Relief for Coffee Farmers Affected by Fires

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Derrick Kellier (2nd left), converses with (from left) Senator Imani Duncan Price; President, Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), Senator Norman Grant; and coffee farmer, Elvis Holding, during a tour of Mr. Holding’s farm in Orchard, St. Andrew on January 13. The Minister toured several farms in East Rural St. Andrew, which were affected by bush fires in May 2015, to provide planting material. Partially hidden in the background are Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Lenworth Fulton (left); and State Minister in the Agriculture Ministry, Luther Buchanan.

Persons Who Light Fires Illegally to Face Prosecution – Kellier

Project Coordinator for the Integrated Management of the Yallahs and Hope River Watershed Management Areas Project, National Environment and Planning Agency, Nelsa English-Johnson.

NEPA Hosts Land Husbandry Workshop in St. Thomas

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Derrick Kellier (2nd left), and Chairman, Jamaica Broilers Group, Robert Levy (2nd right), exchange a warm handshake following the unveiling and official opening of the Best Dressed Chicken Cumberland Hatchery in Portmore, St. Catherine today (Jan. 12). Others (from left) are: Minister of State in the Ministry, Hon. Luther Buchanan and Vice President in charge of Finance at Jamaica Broilers Group, Ian Persaud.

GOV’T Implements Measures to Meet Demand for Chicken Meat

10 years ago Agriculture

Praedial Larceny Workshop January 16

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, in collaboration with the Ministry of Justice, will be hosting the first of two Praedial Larceny Sensitization Workshops targeting members of the Judiciary and other critical stakeholders within the sector, on Saturday, January 16. Some 40 Clerks of the Court along with representatives from the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS),...

Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Luther Buchanan, addresses the opening of the upgraded Jamaican Foundation for Lifelong Learning’s (JFLL) literacy centre in Savanna -la-Mar, Westmoreland, recently.

10 years ago Agriculture

Over $6 Billion Invested in Sugar-Dependent Areas

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has invested over $6 billion on improvement projects in sugar-dependent communities across the island since 2009. The projects, undertaken through the European Union (EU)-funded Sugar Transformation Unit (STU), include the provision of, at a cost of some $2.4 billion cane road, and drain projects – $500 million; social infrastructure projects to include schools, clinics,...

10 years ago Agriculture

SRC Begins Project to Eliminate Rhizome Rot

The Scientific Research Council (SRC), in partnership with the International Atomic Energy Agency, has started a breeding programme using radiation to modify the genes of ginger affected by the Rhizome Rot. Executive Director of the SRC, Dr. Cliff Riley, told JIS News that the process, which seeks to eliminate the fungus that affects locally produced ginger, involves exposing the ginger...

10 years ago Agriculture

Minister Urges Jamaicans to Emulate Legacy of Sam Sharpe

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Derrick Kellier, says National Hero, the Rt. Excellent Samuel Sharpe, was not only instrumental in the abolition of slavery, but has left an enviable legacy of selflessness that Jamaicans should emulate. Speaking at the ‘Flames of Freedom’ celebration to commemorate the 184th anniversary of the Christmas Rebellion, which saw some 50,000 slaves taking up...

10 years ago Agriculture

$16.5 Million to Assist Young Persons and Women to Plant Irish Potato

Approximately $16.5 million in grant assistance has been provided by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, and several stakeholder partners, for 100 young persons and women, under the 2015/16 National Irish Potato Expansion Programme, currently underway. Portfolio Minister, Hon Derrick Kellier, said the allocation, which includes inputs from the Canada-based Promotion of Regional Opportunities for Produce through Enterprises and Linkages...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Derrick Kellier (2nd left); and Minister of State in the Ministry, Hon. Luther Buchanan (3rd left), examine sorrel reaped by a locally developed Sorrel Harvesting Machine, during the official launch on October 27 at the Ministry’s Hope Gardens headquarters in St. Andrew. Also pictured are inventors of the machine and Directors of Turner Innovations Limited, Allison (left) and Oral Turner (right).

10 years ago Agriculture

Processing of Sorrel for Popular Christmas Drink Now Cheaper and Easier

Farmers preparing to plant sorrel to meet next year’s demand for the rich, nutritious Christmas-time drink, now have the option of using a locally developed machine, to reduce the time and cost of processing the fruit. The Sorrel Harvesting Machine was developed by St. Elizabeth farmers and founders of Turner Innovations Limited, Oral and Allison Turner. The machine feeds picked...

These sheep are products of embryo transfer.

10 years ago Agriculture

Gov’t Boosting Quality and Productivity of Goat and Sheep Stock

Jamaica is making progress in boosting the country’s stock of goat and sheep in order to meet local demand for mutton and reduce the import bill for the meat. Annual import of mutton and chevon is estimated at over US$15 million. Under the Diversification of the Caribbean Livestock Sector through Production of Small Ruminants programme, focus is being placed on...