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State Minister in the Ministry of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Donovan Williams (left), speaks with farm workers André Ellis (centre) and Arnold Campbell (second right), during a send-off for participants in the Canadian Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme (SAWP) this month at the Ministry’s Overseas Employment Centre on East Street in downtown Kingston. High Commissioner of Canada to Jamaica, His Excellency Mark Berman (second left), and Minister of Labour and Social Security, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (right), share in the discussion.

Veteran Urges Fellow Farm Workers to Plan, Stay Focused

Veteran farm worker, Arnold Campbell, is encouraging his fellow Jamaicans participating in the Seasonal Agricultural Workers Programme (SAWP) to stay focused and set clear goals as to what they want to achieve. The native of Brown’s Town in St. Ann,...

Chief Executive Officer of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), Derron Grant, addresses a recent Jamaica Information Service (JIS) ‘Think Tank’.

Farmers Urged to Register with RADA and Secure Receipt Books Under Agricultural Produce Act

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green (left), shares a photo opportunity with coffee farmer Miriam McDonald (centre) and Bernice Barrett (right), while holding one of the professional-grade chainsaws during the handover of power equipment to farmers affected by Hurricane Melissa, at the Jamaica Commodities Regulation Authority (JACRA), 1 Willie Henry Drive, off Marcus Garvey Drive in Kingston, on January 21. The equipment was provided through a United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) project, funded by the Government of Japan.

Coffee Farmers to Get Chainsaws to Clear Debris and Restore Access to Farms

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green (left), interacts with participants in the Rural Youth Economic Empowerment Programme (RYEEP) Builder, during a graduation ceremony on June 13 last year, at the Jamaica Conference Centre in downtown Kingston.

Training Commences for 2025/26 Cohort of RYEEP Builder

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, provides an update on the agricultural sector’s recovery from Hurricane Melissa, at a press briefing held at the Ministry’s head office in Hope Gardens, Kingston, on January 20. The Minister reported that there has been rapid recovery of crops, and interventions are being employed to address areas of surplus.

Minister Lauds Farmers for Rapid Recovery of Agricultural Crops

Acting Director of the Praedial Larceny Prevention Coordination Branch, Kalecia Hall, addressing Wednesday

2 months ago Agriculture

Agriculture Ministry Strengthening Measures to Tackle Praedial Larceny

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining has reaffirmed its commitment to tackling praedial larceny through strengthened enforcement and the expansion of traceability tools across the agricultural sector. Speaking at a JIS Think Tank on January 14, Acting Director of the Praedial Larceny Prevention Coordination Branch, Kalecia Hall, underscored the importance of strategic coordination in safeguarding farmers and ensuring accountability...

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green (second right), along with (from left) State Minister in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Hon. Alando Terrelonge; Speaker of the House of Representatives and Member of Parliament for St. Andrew East Rural, the Most Hon. Juliet Holness; Chairman, Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association (JCEA), Dr. Norman Grant, and Acting Director General, Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA), Wayne Hunter, examine freshly picked coffee beans at Guava Ridge Basic School in St. Andrew on January 9, as part of Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Day celebrations.

2 months ago AgricultureHurricane Relief & Recovery

Coffee Farmers Urged to Plant Short-Term Crops After Hurricane Melissa Losses

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, is encouraging coffee farmers in the hilly terrains to begin intercropping with short-term crops, following the loss of 40 per cent of coffee during Hurricane Melissa. He made the call to hundreds of farmers gathered at Guava Ridge Basic School in St. Andrew, while addressing the 8th Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee...

2 months ago Agriculture

Jamaica’s Agricultural Sector Mounting Swift Recovery

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, says the agricultural sector is showing signs of a swift recovery in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, with several short-term crops already returning to the market. Hurricane Melissa made landfall on October 28, 2025, as a catastrophic Category Five storm, causing an estimated $30 billion in agricultural damage and impacting more...

Director of Commercial Operations at the National Irrigation Commission (NIC), Wayne Barrett, addresses a recent JIS Think Tank.

2 months ago Agriculture

NIC Strengthens Customer Engagement to Support Farmers and Other Stakeholders

The National Irrigation Commission (NIC), through its Commercial Department, has strengthened its customer engagement efforts, following the passage of Hurricane Melissa on October 28 last year. This is to ensure that farmers and stakeholders receive the necessary support to restore their operations. Addressing a JIS Think Tank recently, Director of Commercial Operations at the Commission, Wayne Barrett, said that in...

Director of Engineering and Technical Services at the National Irrigation Commission Limited (NIC), Rohan Stewart, speaks about the Commission’s drainage operations in Central and South St. Elizabeth and the minimal damage sustained to NIC facilities during Hurricane Melissa, during a recent JIS Think Tank.

2 months ago AgricultureFisheries

Ongoing Drainage Works by NIC Limit Flooding in Sections of St. Elizabeth

The National Irrigation Commission Limited (NIC) says ongoing drainage works in sections of Central and South St. Elizabeth helped to limit flooding during the passage of Hurricane Melissa on October 28 last year. Director of Engineering and Technical Services at the NIC, Rohan Stewart, said during a recent JIS Think Tank that some areas that are traditionally prone to flooding...

2 months ago AgricultureFisheries

NIC Encourages Farmers to Prepare for Rollout of Water Supply Under Essex Valley Project

The National Irrigation Commission (NIC) is intensifying its customer engagement efforts as the Essex Valley Agricultural Development Project in St. Elizabeth nears completion. This is to ensure that farmers in the region will be ready to benefit from improved irrigation services in 2026. Director of Commercial Operations at the NIC, Wayne Barrett, said that the Commission has been actively working...

Director of Engineering and Technical Services at the National Irrigation Commission Limited (NIC), Rohan Stewart, addresses a recent JIS Think Tank, during which he outlined plans for the procurement of additional generators valued at over $107 million, funded through the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, to strengthen the resilience of the island’s irrigation systems.

2 months ago AgricultureFisheries

NIC to Purchase Additional Generators

The National Irrigation Commission Limited (NIC) has received funding of just over $107 million through the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining to procure additional generators. This is aimed at strengthening the resilience of the country’s irrigation systems during periods of power disruption. The generators will improve the NIC’s capacity to maintain water supply to farmers, particularly following extreme weather...