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Senior Plant Health and Food Safety Officer, Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Francine Webb.

Jamaicans Urged to Protect Bee Population in Aftermath of Hurricane Melissa

Jamaicans are being encouraged to protect the island’s bee population, which was displaced and severely affected by Hurricane Melissa. Not only are they essential for the production of honey but bees are also an important part of food security, responsible...

Public Relations Specialist with the National Irrigation Commission (NIC), Christeen Forbes, speaks at a recent JIS Think Tank, held at the Agency’s Television Office, 5-9 South Odeon Avenue in Kingston.

NIC Urges Farmers to Stay Connected

Clerical Officer in the Public Relations and Marketing Department of the Jamaica Information Service (JIS), Rushawn Wallace (left) and Special Projects Officer, JIS, Romona Geohaghan (centre), look on as a nurse plays a game of "balanced diet", where she uses ingredients represented on cue cards to create a healthy meal. The occasion was the recent staging of the Lauriston/Thompson Pen Community 4-H Club's annual Stew Festival held in Spanish Town, St. Catherine.

PHOTOS: Lauriston/Thompson Pen Community 4-H Club’s Stew Festival

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green (right), interacts with Chief Executive Officer of NCB Foundation Jamaica Limited, Bruce Bowen (centre), and fisherman, Gervon Parchment, as they inspect fishing wires during the distribution of agricultural and fishing supplies at the Breds Foundation Complex in Treasure Beach, St. Elizabeth, on Tuesday (December 23), as part of post-Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts.

200 Farmers and Fisherfolk in Treasure Beach Receive $7m in Hurricane Recovery Supplies

Representative of the Mount Salus Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) Branch in St. Andrew, Trevor Jarrett (second left), receives a water pump from agricultural stakeholders including (from left) JAS Chief Executive Officer, Derron Grant; Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) Acting Director General, Wayne Hunter; JAS President, Owen Dobson; Chief Technical Director of Technical Services in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Orville Palmer, and Jamaica Coffee Growers Association (JCGA) President, Donald Salmon, during Tuesday’s (December 23) handover ceremony at the JAS head office on Church Street, Kingston. Farming inputs, including fertiliser, buckets, water boots, water pumps, and wheelbarrows, were distributed by the JAS to 120 coffee farmers from eastern parishes through collaboration with JCGA, JACRA, and Food for the Poor, as part of post-Hurricane Melissa recovery efforts.

JAS Donates Vital Farming Inputs to 120 Coffee Farmers in Hurricane Recovery Effort

Senior Plant Health and Food Safety Officer with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Francine Webb, is encouraging farmers to act early to manage beet army worms, ahead of their active period from February to June.

3 months ago Agriculture

Farmers Urged to Prepare for Beet Army Worm

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is advising farmers to get into preparation mode ahead of the beet army worm season, to effectively manage the pest. Activities from the beet army worm typically increase between February and June each year. Senior Plant Health and Food Safety Officer with RADA, Francine Webb, said despite the recent wind and rain helping to...

Senior Plant Health and Food Safety Officer with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Francine Webb.

3 months ago Agriculture

RADA Encourages Soil-Centred Approach to Crop Production

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is encouraging a measured, soil-focused approach to restoring crop production, following heavy rains. Senior Plant Health and Food Safety Officer with RADA, Francine Webb, said composting and careful soil management will be critical, as topsoil in parishes heavily affected by the passage of Hurricane Melissa has been displaced. “We are encouraging farmers to do...

Acting Director General, Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA), Wayne Hunter (right), shakes hands with President of the Jamaica Coffee Exporters Association, Dr. Norman Grant, during a ceremony held at JACRA’s headquarters in Kingston on Wednesday (December 17) to donate over 2,000 bags of fertiliser, valued at approximately $10 million, to key stakeholders in the coffee sector. Looking on is President of the Jamaica Coffee Growers Association, Donald Salmon. The initiative is in keeping with JACRA’s commitment to supporting productivity and sustainability within Jamaica’s coffee industry following the passage of Hurricane Melissa.

3 months ago Agriculture

JACRA Commences Handover Of Agricultural Inputs To Support Coffee Farmers’ Post Hurricane Recovery

As part of its post-hurricane recovery efforts, the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA) has commenced the handover of 5,000 bags of fertiliser and essential agricultural inputs to assist coffee farmers. The $35-million investment aims to support recovery, restore production, and rebuild livelihoods. Of the total, 2,000 bags of fertiliser valued at $10 million, along with other key agricultural inputs,...

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green

3 months ago AgricultureFisheries

$3-Billion Recovery Programme in Progress for Agricultural and Fisheries Sectors

A $3-billion recovery programme is being implemented by the Government as part of efforts to restore the agricultural and fisheries sectors, following widespread damage caused by Hurricane Melissa. Speaking at a hybrid Recovery and Resilience Forum, hosted by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) on December 17, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, said the response is...

Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) Livestock Specialist, Maxine Brown.

3 months ago Agriculture

RADA Hosts Livestock Clinic in Westmoreland on December 19

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) will host a livestock clinic at the Westmoreland Parish Office in Llandilo, on Friday, December 19, beginning at 10 a.m. In an interview with JIS News, RADA Livestock Specialist, Maxine Brown, said key partners will be on location to provide free animal health services. “You can bring your animals to benefit from professional veterinary...

3 months ago Agriculture

Early Interventions by Government Yielding Results in Agricultural Sector

Early interventions by the Government are beginning to yield results in the agricultural sector, following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa, with signs of renewed production already emerging. Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, said swift action by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) allowed farmers to begin replanting shortly after the hurricane. He was speaking at...

3 months ago Agriculture

Minister Green Hails Farmers’ Resilience in Driving Post-Hurricane Agricultural Recovery

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, says Jamaican farmers have already begun driving the recovery of agricultural production in the aftermath of Hurricane Melissa, demonstrating resilience and determination despite widespread losses. Speaking during a handover ceremony at Kristen Ambersly’s Broiler Chicken Farm in Holland Village, St. Elizabeth, on Tuesday (December 16), Minister Green said early signs of...