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Over 260 Jamaicans departed for Canada and the United States, today (April 15) to join the Ministry of Labour and Social Security's (MLSS) Overseas Employment Programme, as farm workers. About 166 persons left the Overseas Employment Office, East Street, Kingston, to join the programme in Canada, while another 96 left in the afternoon for the United States where they will...

The Coffee Industry Board (CIB), is recruiting some 3,000 new coffee farmers, as the Government moves to resuscitate the production of non-Blue Mountain Coffee. At a meeting held with farmers in Eastern Westmoreland on April 14 at the Enfield Primary School, Director General of the CIB Christopher Gentles, said that a number of initiatives were being put in place to...

Minister of Agriculture Dr. Christopher Tufton, has said that greater emphasis is now being placed on marketing in the agricultural sector, with the establishment of a marketing unit in the Ministry. "I am encouraging our farmers, all agricultural organisations, such as the Jamaica Agricultural Society, the Jamaica 4-H Clubs, and other related groups, to partner with the stakeholders of agriculture,...

It is no surprise that 19-year-old St. Elizabeth 4-H Clubbite, Whitney Smith, is an admirer of parishioner, Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Dr. Christopher Tufton. She credits the Minister with the "rare talent of listening." "His humility and eagerness to listen, tell me that he is serious about his work as a representative of the people," she explains. Whitney recalls that...

Thirty-five 4-H Clubs in St. Mary participated in the Annual St. Mary 4-H Achievement Day activities, held at the Oracabessa High School, on April 7. The function, which featured a number of competitive and entertaining events, was held under the theme: 'Youth Response to Food Security'. Among the highlights of the day's activities was the selection of the St. Mary...

Minister of Agriculture Dr. Christopher Tufton, has said that the Government would be accelerating the Youth in Agriculture Programme this year, including providing young people with land for farming and helping them to develop business plans. "We are going to, this year, be very aggressive in helping young people to look at agriculture as a business and to develop the...

Some $5.4 million has been set aside in the 2009/2010 budget, for monitoring and consultancy related to a Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) loan to the Jamaican Government, to fund a line of credit to the agricultural sector. As outlined in the Estimates of Expenditure, the project, which is being financed by the CDB, underscores the Government's efforts to make loan...

Councillors in the Trelawny Parish Council, will give up 5% percent of their salary to a needy cause within the parish, in keeping with Prime Minister Bruce Golding's call for elected officials to follow his lead. In a national broadcast last week Sunday, Mr. Golding said he would "lead by example" and give up his 7% pay increase due April...

The Government is spending approximately $724 million on the Banana Support Project this fiscal year, as outlined in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure, currently before the House of Representatives. The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will continue to administer this project, which is funded by the Government and the European Union. Its main objective is to promote sustainable development in...

The Hurricane Gustav Agricultural Rehabilitation Project has received a boost of approximately $260 million in the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure, currently before the House of Representatives. The project aims at assisting in the rehabilitation of the Jamaican agricultural sector, through improvement of the rural road infrastructure and production of targeted crops. To be completed under the project are: assistance to...

Further strengthening of the support system for farmers and other key stakeholders in the agricultural industry is expected during 2009/10, as $9 million has been allocated to the Agricultural Support Services Project (ASSP). This is outlined in the Estimates of Expenditure, currently before the House of Representatives. The project, funded by the Inter American Development Bank (IDB) and the Government...

The transformation of the sugarcane industry is to be bolstered by an injection of $1.8 billion into the Sugar Transformation Project in 2009/10. In the 2009/10 Estimates of Expenditure, the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries has stated that the overall goal of the project is to achieve an effective transition of the industry to a sustainable sugar cane sector by...