A total of $6 million will be disbursed under the Rio Tinto Alcan Legacy Fund scholarship and bursary programme to support education-related expenses for a new cohort of agricultural students, soon to be announced for the 2025/26 academic year. This was disclosed by Business and Entrepreneurship Development Manager, Jamaica 4-H Clubs, Amanda McKenzie. “For this year, we had 217 applications....

Farmers in Hayfield, St. Thomas, are now better equipped to manage the impacts of disasters, particularly hurricanes, following an interagency training session held on September 9. The Agriculture Disaster Risk Management training, held at Hayfield Primary and Infant School, formed part of an ongoing series across the six extension areas in the parish. The initiative is being spearheaded by the...

In recognition of World Coconut Day on Tuesday, September 2, the Coconut Industry Board (CIB) will distribute 100 seedlings and fertiliser to the first 100 patrons making purchases at the Coconut Shop, located at 18 Waterloo Road in Kingston. The observance highlights the economic and livelihood contributions of coconuts across global communities. Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Shaun Cameron, says the...

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and the Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA), agencies under the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, are actively working to preserve the country’s global standing as a premier producer of high-quality cocoa. This is in response to the ongoing threat posed by frosty pod disease, which was first discovered on the island in...

Farmers and agricultural stakeholders across Jamaica will receive financial literacy and business management training in the second phase of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) Financial Literacy and Inclusion Training Programme. The initiative, being implemented in partnership with the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ), aims to enhance the financial capacity of agricultural sector stakeholders by equipping farmers with the knowledge...

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) has recommended that cocoa farmers with fields susceptible to frosty pod disease mitigate the threat and preserve quality by introducing disease-tolerant varieties of the crop. Director of Project Management and Coordination at RADA, Dwayne Henry, told JIS News in an interview that this aims to ensure the sustainability and profitability of cocoa farming in...

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) has reported a positive response from cocoa farmers across Jamaica to newly introduced techniques aimed at combating the frosty pod rot disease. These techniques, which include top grafting and basal grafting, have proven instrumental in enhancing the resilience of cocoa fields against the disease. Director of Project Management and Coordination at RADA, Dwayne Henry,...