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Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) Zonal Director, Bernard Goffe, has commended the St. Ann branch of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), for moving agriculture and rural development forward. Mr. Goffe was speaking on behalf of RADA's Chief Executive Officer, Al Powell, at the annual general meeting of the branch, on Wednesday (June 10) at the St. Mark's Anglican Church Hall,...

Minister of Agriculture Dr. Christopher Tufton, has said that extension officers are to undergo retraining and recertification to maintain high levels of service to farmers. "I therefore encourage farmers to partner with RADA(Rural Agricultural Development Authority) to get better yields, better productivity and enjoy better living standards," Dr. Tufton said. The Minister was speaking at the handing over of water...

Small farmers from several districts in St Catherine have received water tanks and irrigation equipment to establish drip irrigation systems on their farms. The farmers received the systems at concessionary rates, and are only required to repay a portion of the cost over a two year period. These farmers are outside of the areas serviced by the National Irrigation Commission's...

Farmers in St. Ann are set to benefit from an injection of funds, which will go towards the marketing of their produce, training, among other needs. Member of Parliament (MP) for North West St. Ann, Othniel Lawrence, pledged $5 million from his Constituency Development Fund (CDF) towards these efforts, when he addressed the annual general meeting of the St. Ann...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, has announced that workers employed by the five Government-owned sugar factories will receive redundancy payments starting Tuesday (June 16). Dr. Tufton made the announcement at a meeting this morning with representatives of the trade unions representing employees of the Sugar Company of Jamaica(SCJ), which operates the five factories -Bernard Lodge (St....

Farmers in and around Pedro Plains in St. Elizabeth were last week exposed to strategies to manage the beet army worm, which has destroyed 37.5 hectares of escallion in the area. At a farm day hosted by the St. Elizabeth Parish Office of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), officials from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries demonstrated and recommended...

The Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) says it will be raising the bar this year at the annual Denbigh Agricultural Show. According to JAS President, Senator Norman Grant, this year, "many new attractions will be showcased, agribusiness investment will be highlighted and youth in agriculture promoted." Senator Grant was speaking at a Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank on Tuesday (...

Workers at the pig farm operated by 'Farmer Greg Gordon', who was murdered one week ago, have told Prime Minister the Hon. Bruce Golding of their commitment to carry on the business; but called on him to ensure that the issue of security be addressed as a matter of priority. Mr. Golding, who this morning (June 5) visited the farm...

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will, later this year, launch a major programme to register fishermen across the island, so as to better enable the Ministry to plan for the fisheries sector. "Not only will we need to register the individuals, we (also) need to register the vessels," said Portfolio Minister, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, at the re-opening of...

Come June 16, farmers across the island will be able to lease tractor services from the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) as the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries moves to increase productivity in the agricultural sector. The initiative, which comes under the Ministry's Farm Modernisation Programme, will enable farmers to prepare their land for planting at affordable rates. A total...

Jamaicans will have to consume more locally produced food in order to minimise imports and cushion the effects of the global financial crisis. This was the word from Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, as he delivered the keynote address at the Atlanta Jamaica Association's building and scholarship banquet held on May 30 at Angora Hill, Georgia, U.S.A....

The Mile Gully Producers Marketing Organisation (PMO) in Manchester on Friday (May 29) staged a farmers' market day to sell and promote the produce of farmers associated with the group. President of the group, Olive Johnson, told JIS News that the event, held at the Mile Gully Square, went well and attracted a number of customers. "It is the first...