More

The Coffee Competitiveness Enterprise Programme is to receive $10.4 million this fiscal year, to help small farmers improve productivity, and producers to acquire appropriate tools and technologies. The project, as outlined in the 2013/14 Estimates of Expenditure, and being implemented by the Coffee Industry Board, seeks to provide capacity building of co-operatives in the central and northern regions of the...

The Government is to spend some $18 million on a project aimed at protecting the livelihoods and food security of residents of vulnerable communities. The sum is allocated to the Enhancing the Resilience of the Agricultural Sector and Coastal Areas project, as contained in the 2013/2014 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. Formerly launched in November 2012,...

Efforts at enhancing the resilience of the country’s agricultural sector and coastal areas have been shored up with an allocation of $11.75 million. This is set out in the 2013/14 Estimates of Expenditure currently before the House of Representatives. Through funding from the Adaptation Fund, the Office of Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Management (ODPEM) is working to protect livelihoods and...

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is to spend $38.4 million this fiscal year to continue to promote sustainable development in traditional banana growing areas. This sum has been allocated in the budget for 2013/14, which will be examined by the Standing Finance Committee of the House of Representatives, beginning April 9. The Banana Support Project, which is being funded...

A total of 240 small farmers in eastern parishes are to benefit from loans this fiscal year to enhance agricultural production. These include some 80 banana and plantain farmers and 160 vegetable, Irish potato and onion farmers. The provision comes under the Agricultural Support Project, for which some $57 million has been set aside in the 2013/14 Estimates of Expenditure,...

Farmers will receive more assistance from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries this year, through an allocation of $127.4 million, which has been earmarked to improve irrigation management. This will increase production and the earning power of farmers across the island. As set out in details of the allocation, which is contained in the government's budget for the 2013/14 fiscal...

Government’s efforts to attain self-sufficiency in meat consumption have been boosted, through a $69.5 million allocation to the Diversification of the Caribbean Livestock through the Production of Small Ruminants project. This is contained in the 2013/14 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. The project, being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, aims to increase the...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will spend $58.7 million this fiscal year, on initiatives to combat poverty and improve revenues in banana dependent areas. This will be done under the Banana Accompanying Measures project, by improving the productivity and reliance of small farmers, and strengthening the link between these farmers and markets. The funds have been earmarked in the...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, will spend $210 million this financial year to increase competitiveness in the agricultural sector, by facilitating access to international markets for small and medium sized farmers. The initiative also seeks to ensure the production of safe and good quality agricultural products and food; and stimulate public-private investment in the development of agribusinesses. Under the...

The Sugar Transformation Unit is to receive $2.1 billion, as the Government sustains its thrust to develop a sustainable private sector-led cane industry by 2015.               Another $96 million will be used to repair sugar cane roads at Appleton, Bernard Lodge, Everglades, Frome, Golden Grove, Monymusk, and Worthy Park factories.             Details of this allocation are contained in the...

Pig farmers in the community of Sligoville and its environs in St. Catherine are to benefit from a donation of 100 bags of animal feed, valued at approximately $500,000. The donation, from Caribbean Foods Limited, came out of discussion between Minister with responsibility for Sports and Member of Parliament for North Central St. Catherine, Hon. Natalie Neita Headley, and Operations...

The Ministry of Labour and Social Security has partnered with the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) to assist pig farmers to boost pork production to meet increasing market demand. Labour Minister, Hon. Derrick Kellier, who was addressing the Montpelier Agricultural and Industrial Show in St. James on April 1, said both entities have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which will...