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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

President, Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), Senator Norman Grant, says educational programmes will be implemented for farmers, particularly in the coffee growing areas of the island, to discourage them from using the slash and burn method for land preparation. He said...

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

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.

Residents of Trelawny to Benefit from Two New Libraries

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.

Agriculture Ministry to Acquire More Drones to Combat Illicit Fishing

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...

11 years ago Agriculture

Training for Farmers in Environment Friendly Practices

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...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Derrick Kellier, addresses the official opening of a library at the Savanna-la-Mar Infant School in Westmoreland on Friday (May 8). During his address, Minister Kellier said the Government is committed to ensuring that the sugar industry remains viable and sustainable.

11 years ago Agriculture

Gov’t Committed to Ensuring Viability of Sugar Industry – Kellier

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Derrick Kellier, says the Government is committed to ensuring that the sugar industry remains viable and sustainable, as it is the life blood of many rural communities in Jamaica. “Come 2017, the industry stands to be impacted by the removal of duty-free access to the European market. In spite of this, we remain confident that...

Director of Technical Assistance at Jamaica Rural Economy and Ecosystems Adapting to Climate Change (Ja REEACH) project , Dianne Dormer, addresses a farmers seminar on Agrometeorology, held at the Savanna-la-Mar United Church Hall in Westmoreland, today (May 12). The seminar was funded by the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), with support from the National Meteorological Service.

11 years ago Agriculture

Westmoreland Farmers Take Part in Agrometeorology Seminar

Several farmers from Westmoreland participated in an agrometeorology seminar, staged by the Ministry of Agriculture, at the Savanna-la-Mar United Church Hall in the parish, on May 12. The seminar, which was held under the banner of the Jamaica Rural Economy and Ecosystems Adapting to Climate Change (Ja REEACH) project, provided farmers with information on the effects of climate change and...