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The Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ) is placing much emphasis on loans for agricultural projects. According to General Manager for Approved Financial Institutions (AFI), Emmy Lewars, "in all our credit lines, we have put agriculture in them to facilitate softer interest rates for agricultural projects. And at this time, we should emphasise 'grow what we eat, and eat what we...

The University of the West Indies (UWI) has embarked on a programme to assist farmers to gain the maximum benefit from agricultural production, and agri-processing. The institution, through its Department of Pure and Applied Sciences, is using research to put the agricultural sector in a position to supply the food needs of the country, and to extract medicinal ingredients from...

The Coffee Industry Board (CIB) will be providing technical assistance to coffee farmers to boost production and productivity, so as to return the sector to profitability. Director General of the CIB, Christopher Gentles, said that a number of fora will be held, which will equip farmers with the techniques to minimise crop losses. "They (fora) will deal with proper use...

Nineteen-year- old Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) Junior Champion Farmer 2009, Rahim Baccas, believes that, with some more effort and dedication, Jamaica can achieve food sufficiency and wealth creation in agriculture. The teenage farmer, who was crowned at last week-end's annual Denbigh Agricultural Show in Clarendon, told JIS News that he plans to study agriculture at the tertiary level. "(And) it...

Prime Minister, the Hon. Bruce Golding, has said that the Government is committed to clearing all obstacles to boosting agricultural production and productivity, as the country charts its way out of the economic recession. "Whatever it is that may have been holding us back, whether it is the bureaucracy. we have the capacity, we have the skill to drive agriculture,"...

Jamaica will host the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture's (IICA) Ministerial conference in Montego Bay, St. James, in October. This will be the first time that the conference will be held in the Caribbean and Ministers of Agriculture and Secretaries of Agriculture from 34 countries are expected to attend. During a courtesy call on Prime Minister the Hon. Bruce...

Minister of Agriculture, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, says that his Ministry will spend $159 million, this year, on post harvest care and support facilities for farmers. Dr. Tufton said that the project will address one of the greatest challenges facing the sector today, waste and losses after reaping, which amount to as much as some 40% of total annual production....

Newly appointed head of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries' Agro-Investment Corporation, Dr. David Lowe, says that a number of initiatives has been taken by Jamaica to ensure food safety standards, to facilitate global trade in Jamaican food. Dr. Lowe said that among these initiatives was the establishment of the Jamaica Import/Export Inspection Centre, which was opened in June to...

Ministers of Agriculture from across the western Hemisphere, and other stakeholders in the sector, are scheduled to meet in Montego Bay, St. James, from October 25 to 31, for the 'Week of Agriculture and Rural Life of the Americas' Meeting. The week's main activities are the meeting of the Hemispheric Forum of Ministerial Delegates of Agriculture, the Fifth Ministerial Meeting...

Farmers attending the Jamaica Agricultural Society's (JAS) Denbigh Agro-Industrial Show this week-end will enjoy a number of firsts, including access to micro-financing from Jamaica National. This was announced at a JIS Think Tank Tuesday (July 28th), by outgoing President of the JAS and Chairman of the Denbigh Show Committee, Senator Norman Grant. Senator Grant said that Jamaica National, one of...

Jamaica has been commended for achieving a 22.3 per cent increase in domestic food crop production for the second quarter of 2009, by Director General of the Inter-American Institute for Co-operation on Agriculture (IICA), Dr. Chelston Brathwaite. Last week, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton, announced that the last three quarters saw consecutive periods of expansion when...

Well known retired civil servant, Ruby Blake, mother of Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dr. Christopher Tufton, died last night (July 23) in the Tony Thwaites Wing of the University Hospital of the West Indies, Mona, Kingston. Ms. Blake, who spent over 30 years as a civil servant working with the Ministry of Labour, had been admitted to the hospital...