Small farmers and tourism projects in rural Jamaica will receive a boost of $350 million this fiscal year, under the Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI). The funds have been set aside in the Government’s proposed budget for 2014/15. The project, which began in January 2010, aims to improve market access for micro and small-scale rural agricultural producers, and tourism projects....

An additional $1.8 billion is being provided by the Government, this year, to continue implementation of the Sugar Transformation Project. This allocation is contained in the 2014/15 Estimates of Expenditure, currently before the House of Representatives. The project, being spearheaded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, has three major components. These are: strengthening the sugar cane sector’s commercial competitiveness;...

Just over $300 million is budgeted to be spent this year on the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries’ Agricultural Competitiveness Programme. The project aims to increase competitiveness in the agriculture sector by facilitating small and medium farmers’ access to markets; ensuring the production of safe and high quality food and products; and stimulating public-private investment in agribusiness value chain development....

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries is undertaking several initiatives aimed at attracting more youth to the sector, and boosting Jamaica’s food security and export opportunities. This was disclosed by Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Roger Clarke during the launch of the Jamaica 4-H Clubs National Achievement Expo, at its Old Hope Road headquarters in Kingston on Tuesday, April...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Roger Clarke, says the recent acquisition of laboratory equipment will have far reaching effects on the Ministry and the country. “The receipt of the equipment is very timely as it will assist us in fulfilling some of our strategic objectives, including the upgrading of our Plant Quarantine/Product Inspection Branch into a Division; to enable...

A National Micro Farmer Agricultural Marketing System (NAMFAMS) will be established at a cost of $10 million, to assist farmers with the marketing and sale of their produce. The system is being developed under a pilot phase with a grant from the Universal Services Fund (USF), and is being spearheaded by the Jamaica Agricultural Society Commercial Enterprises Limited (JASCEL). Government...

As part of a strategy to re-build the coffee industry, Government Senator, Norman Grant, has called for the imposition of a cess on imported coffee. He suggested that this levy could be placed in a special fund to be used to expand the local coffee industry. Senator Grant, who is also President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), made the...