Fresh produce buyers from the United States (US), who visited the island last week, say they are impressed with the high quality of produce coming out of the agro parks. “The parks have been impressive. There is a lot of opportunity to do business here in Jamaica.  To grow the export is the goal,” said Carlos Capote of JC Tropicals in...

Managing Director of the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), Omar Sweeney, says over 800 Jamaicans have been employed under the Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) project. The World Bank-funded project, implemented in 2010, focuses on income generating interventions in the areas of agriculture and tourism, supported by the various linkages for marketing. “Today, under the REDI programme, we have supported...

Eighteen small farmers, who cultivate fruits and vegetables on the Braco Farms in Trelawny, are benefitting from the installation of a drip irrigation system. The Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) provided funding for the $11.7 million project, which included the establishment of a food safety facility, where the farmers can package and store their produce, which includes watermelon, cantaloupe, sweet...

Exporters and agro park producers are engaged in meetings with potential buyers from the United States (US), as the country looks to boost fresh produce exports to the North American country. The five-day buyer mission, organised by the Agricultural Competiveness Programme, aims to significantly strengthen, expand and advance relations between fresh produce buyers from Miami and New York and producers...

The Government has commissioned into service a solar power system at the Ebony Park irrigation pumping station in Clarendon, which is to deliver energy worth some $564,000 annually, and reduce electricity cost for irrigation by $6 million per year. With the new power system, farmers in the area will now receive improved water supply from the National Irrigation Commission (NIC)...

Twenty-five year old,  2015 National Farm Queen Peta-Gaye Stewart has a vision for agriculture in Jamaica and that is to see more young people getting involved in the sector. She said Jamaica’s aging farming population will likely impact the country’s food security in the next few decades, and is calling for youth to join her in preventing this outcome. “The...

Small scale farmers in Jamaica and across five other Caribbean countries are being empowered to play greater roles in the food security of the region, through the ‘Sustainable, profitable value chains and market linkages in the Caribbean’ project. The project which is estimated to cost some US$1.5 million was officially launched on August 4 at a ceremony held at the...