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One of the greenhouses on the site of the Greenhouse Cluster and Water Harvesting Project, in Rose Hill, Manchester. Under the project, the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), and the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI), are collaborating to impart greenhouse technologies to farmers in Manchester, St. Elizabeth and St. Ann, through a $192 million partnership.

Farmers to Benefit from Major Greenhouse Project

Farmers in a number of bauxite mining communities should benefit from greenhouse technologies, through a $192 million project, a collaboration between the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) and the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI). The project involves conversion of mined-out lands...

State Minister for Agriculture, Labour and Social Security, Hon. Luther Buchanan (centre), looks on as Executive Chairman of Lasco Affiliated Companies, Lascelles Chin (right), hands the keys of a new Toyota pickup to Head of the Praedial Larceny Prevention Unit, Deputy Superintendent of Police, Kevin Francis, during a ceremony at the Hope Gardens offices of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, in Kingston today (May 26). Valued at over $4 million, the vehicle will be used to boost the operations of the Unit.

Praedial Larceny Prevention Unit Recovers 130 Stolen Animals

United States Ambassador to Jamaica, His Excellency Luis Moreno (centre), pose with members from the first cohort of Peace Corps volunteers to Jamaica in 1962, during the swearing in ceremony for 36 new volunteers to the island, held on May 22, at the Ambassador’s residence in Kingston.

Farmers to be Trained in Environmentally-Friendly Practices

Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Derrick Kellier (centre), and State Minister in the Ministry, Hon. Luther Buchanan (2nd left), listen as Senior Director of the Agricultural Division at Appleton Estate, Ian Maxwell (right), provides details on improvements made in factory operations. Occasion was a tour of the property in St. Elizabeth on May 21.

Minister Kellier Hails Improvements at Appleton Estate

Commercial Manager at the National Irrigation Commission (NIC) Limited, Lorraine Geddes McDonald.

NIC Assisting Drought-Affected Farming Communities

11 years ago Agriculture

Beekeeping Industry Could Earn $1 Billion in 2015

The Ministry of Agriculture is projecting that Jamaica’s beekeeping industry will generate an estimated $1 billion in earnings from honey production in 2015. This would be more than double the $450.5 million earned from the nearly 188,000 gallons of honey produced in 2014. The projection was given by Minister of State in the Ministry, Hon. Luther Buchanan, at the graduation...

11 years ago Agriculture

Training for Farmers in Environment Friendly Practices

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will be implementing a programme to train farmers and other stakeholders in environmentally friendly cultivation practices by September 30, 2015. “We will be establishing 10 hectares of green cane harvesting demonstration plots that incorporates three trash management options. These plots will be used to train our farmers in environment-friendly cane farming practices,” Portfolio Minister...

Minister of Agriculture, Labour and Social Security, Hon Derrick Kellier (right) is assisted by Minister of Education, the Hon. Rev. Ronald Thwaites (2nd left) as he cuts the ribbon to officially open the Falmouth Infant School Library on Friday May 15. Also participating in the ribbon cutting ceremony are Chairman of the Jamaica Library Service, Paul Lalor (left) and students of the school. The facility was provided for under the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries’ Sugar Transformation Programme which is being implemented throughout the sugar dependent communities of Jamaica.

11 years ago AgricultureEducation

Residents of Trelawny to Benefit from Two New Libraries

Residents of two towns in the parish of Trelawny are now enjoying new library facilities valued at $26.8 million from funds acquired under the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries’, Sugar Transformation Programme (STP). The Falmouth Infant School Library ($8.8 million) and the Clarks Town Branch Library ($18 million) were officially opened by Portfolio Minister Hon. Derrick Kellier and Minister of...

11 years ago Agriculture

Training for Farmers in Environment Friendly Practices

Agriculture, Labour and Social Security Minister, Hon. Derrick Kellier (right); and Permanent Secretary, Donovan Stanberry (centre), are presented with a drone by head of Jamaica Robotics and Avionics Design Group, Horace Cunningham. The presentation was made during a media briefing on Thursday (May 14), at the Ministry’s Hope Gardens headquarters, to provide an update on the Ministry’s just concluded pilot project for the use of drones in monitoring fishing activities.

11 years ago Agriculture

Agriculture Ministry to Acquire More Drones to Combat Illicit Fishing

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will be acquiring additional Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs), commonly called drones, as the Government moves to further strengthen law enforcement initiatives, aimed at curbing illicit fishing in Jamaica’s territorial waters. Portfolio Minister, Hon. Derrick Kellier, made the announcement during a media briefing today (May 14), at the Ministry’s Hope Gardens headquarters in St. Andrew....

11 years ago Agriculture

Agriculture Ministry to Work with CIB to Replant Coffee Trees

The Ministry of Agriculture, in collaboration with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), will be working with the Coffee Industry Board (CIB) to ensure the replanting of coffee plants in the Blue Mountain region damaged by recent fires. In a Statement to the House of Representatives on May 12, portfolio Minister, Hon. Derrick Kellier, said the Ministry has already identified...

Extension Officer at the Banana Board, Henry Graham (right), accepts an application from Seven Rivers farmer, Karen Kellier (3rd right), for participation in the Banana Export Expansion Programme (BEEP) in St James, while other applicants wait their turn. Occasion was an investment forum held recently, at the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) offices in Montego Bay, where farmers and investors were provided with details about BEEP.

11 years ago Agriculture

Gov’t to Embark on $250 Million Banana Export Expansion Programme

The Government of Jamaica is pumping $250 million into a project aimed at revitalising banana production for the export market. The Banana Export Expansion Programme (BEEP), details of which were provided at an investment forum in Montego Bay recently, is targeted at new and existing farmers in the traditional banana-growing parishes of Portland, St. Mary and St. James. Funding is...