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Students from various schools look on as Acting Commercial Manager at the National Irrigation Commission, Kenroy Hare, outlines the workings of an irrigation model on display during the Minard Livestock Show and Beef Festival at Minard Estate, in Brown’s Town, St. Ann, recently.

NIC Seeks to Make Agriculture Attractive to Young Jamaicans

Modern technologies and emerging opportunities are at the forefront of the National Irrigation Commission (NIC) drive to make agriculture attractive to the next generation of young Jamaicans. The NIC, an agency of the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, recently took...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (second right), shares a moment with (from left): Guyanese Ambassador, His Excellency Sam Hinds; United States (US) Congresswoman, Maxine Waters; and President, Institute of Caribbean Studies, Dr. Claire Nelson. The Minister participated in the 24th annual Caribbean American Business Dialogue from November 17 to 18, in Washington.

Agriculture Minister Looking to Expand Opportunities for Local Agribusiness

School girls participate in the exciting a goat scramble at the Minard Livestock Show and Beef Festival at Minard Estate in Brown’s Town, St. Ann, on Thursday, November 10.

Livestock Breeding Programme Bearing Fruit

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (right), in discussion with Ambassador of the People’s Republic of China to Jamaica, His Excellency Chen Daojiang, when he visited the Ministry in Kingston on Wednesday (November 9).

PHOTOS: Agriculture Minister Receives Courtesy Call from Chinese Ambassador

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (third left), cuts the ribbon signifying the receipt of a 2022 Toyota Hilux pickup today (November 8) from the European Union for the ‘A Jamaican Path from Hills to Ocean’ project. Joining the Minister are (from left) Acting Chief Executive Officer, Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Winston Simpson; First Counsellor/Head of Cooperation, European Union Delegation to Jamaica, Belize, Turks and Caicos Islands, The Bahamas, and the Cayman Islands, Aniceto Rodriguez Ruiz; Director, External Cooperation Management Division/Director, European Union Unit, Planning Institute of Jamaica, Dianne Davis-Senior; State Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Franklin Witter and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Dermon Spence.

Agriculture Ministry Gets Vehicle for ‘A Jamaican Path From Hills to Ocean’ Project

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (right), addresses the 85th annual conference of the Jamaica Association of Sugar Technologists (JAST) on Thursday (November 3), at the Sugar Industry Authority’s Research Division in Mandeville, Manchester. Listening are (from left) Sugar Industry Authority Chairman, Clement Lawrence and JAST President, Michael Martin.

3 years ago Agriculture

Agriculture Minister Says Sugar Industry Must be Modernised

Jamaica’s sugar industry must be modernised in order to meet the demands of today’s society, says Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. Speaking at the Jamaica Association of Sugar Technologists’ 85th annual conference in Mandeville on November 3, the Minister said that “if we want a stronger, more developed Jamaica, it cannot be business as usual [and] it...

President of the Jamaica Pig Farmers’ Association (JPFA), Hanif Brown, speaks at the entity’s Annual General Meeting, held at the Bridge Palm Hotel and Resort, in Obourne Store, Clarendon.

3 years ago Agriculture

Pig Farmers’ Association Awards $1.2 Million to Case Student

The Jamaica Pig Farmers’ Association (JPFA) has awarded $1.2 million to a student studying livestock management at the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) in Portland. President of the Association, Hanif Brown, told JIS News that the scholarship will last for four years, and that the JPFA is looking to collaborate with the college to help farmers pursue smaller...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (centre), with students at a World Food Day event, held at Vere Technical High School in Clarendon, on October 20. Also at the event are (from left, in background) Acting Principal of the School, O’Neil Lewin; Food and Agriculture Organization Representative for Jamaica, The Bahamas and Belize, Dr. Crispim Moreira and State Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Franklin Witter.

4 years ago AgricultureEducation

Agriculture Minister Calls on Schools to Push ‘Grow Smart, Eat Smart’ Campaign

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., has called on Jamaican schools to engage their student population in the Ministry’s ‘Grow Smart, Eat Smart’ campaign. Speaking at a ‘World Food Day’ event at Vere Technical High School in Clarendon, on October 20, the Minister suggested that administrators and teachers can put together various competitions that promote the tenets...

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Hon Pearnel Charles Jr. (centre), and Chief Technical Director in the Ministry, Orville Palmer (left), are shown one of Cal’s Manufacturing Limited’s products by Chief Executive Officer, Carlton Watson (right). Looking on is Cal’s Operations Officer, Roshane Douse. Minister Charles toured Cal’s facilities on Marcus Garvey Drive in Kingston, on Thursday (October 27).

4 years ago Agriculture

Local Manufacturers Encouraged to Tap into the CARICOM Export Market

Local manufacturers are being encouraged to explore the prospects of exporting valued-added Jamaican products to CARICOM member countries. This urging comes from Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., who says CARICOM presents potential opportunities as a nearshore export market. “You really should see the Caribbean as your oyster. As part of the CARICOM group, we have the...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (centre), makes a point to Technical Specialist, International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), Antonella Cianciotta (second right); and Lead Global Technical Specialist, IFAD, Marco Marzano de Marinis (right), at the launch of the Farmers’ Organizations for Africa, Caribbean and Pacific Learning Route, at the Altamont Court Hotel in Kingston on October 25. Others sharing in the conversation (from left) are Senior Policy Development Officer for Rural Development, Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), Luiz Beduschi; and FAO Representative for Jamaica, The Bahamas and Belize, Dr. Crispim Moreira.

4 years ago Agriculture

National Learning Route to Build Capacity of Small Farmers

The country’s small farmers are to benefit from a National Learning Route, which will equip them will knowledge and skills to improve economic outcomes. The initiative is being undertaken by the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), in collaboration with the International Fund for Agriculture Development (IFAD), and non-governmental organisation, Procasur. It is part of the Farmers’ Organizations for Africa, Caribbean,...

Managing Director, Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), Omar Sweeney (right), displays agricultural equipment and supplies that have been provided for women and youth beneficiaries. These were presented during a recent JSIF Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) II handover ceremony at the Liguanea Club in New Kingston. Others (from left) are World Bank Representative in Jamaica, Ziva Razafintsalama, and farmers Javian Bassier and Venroy Wint.

4 years ago AgricultureYouth

PHOTO: JSIF Presents Agricultural Equipment to Women and Youth Beneficiaries

Managing Director, Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), Omar Sweeney (right), displays agricultural equipment and supplies that have been provided for women and youth beneficiaries. These were presented during a recent JSIF Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI) II handover ceremony at the Liguanea Club in New Kingston. Others (from left) are World Bank Representative in Jamaica, Ziva Razafintsalama, and farmers Javian...

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. (left), is in discussion with Sales Representative for Diamond Fertiliser, Orlando Rojas (centre), and Vice-President at Hi-Pro, Colonel (Ret’d) Jaimie Ogilvie, during the launch of the Diamond-R/Purkote Controlled Release Fertiliser (CRF) technology, at the AC Marriot Hotel in New Kingston on Wednesday (October 26).

4 years ago Agriculture

Farmers Encouraged to Improve Soil Nutrition

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., is urging farmers to place greater focus on improving soil nutrition as part of measures to increase agriculture production for local consumption and meet export needs. He said that the Ministry is guiding research for the development and utilisation of new blends of fertilisers that are more cost-effective and will enhance...