Fishing and aquaculture communities across Jamaica, will continue to benefit from initiatives aimed at building climate change resilience during the upcoming fiscal year. This, as the Government has set aside $90 million to undertake these activities under the project dubbed ‘Community Based Climate Resilience in the Fisheries Sector’, outlined in the 2020/21 Estimates of Expenditure. For the upcoming fiscal year...

The Government’s efforts to improve competitiveness in the agricultural sector will be boosted with an injection of $336 million in the upcoming fiscal year. The money has been provided under the Agricultural Competitiveness Programme Bridging Project, as outlined in the 2020/21 Estimates of Expenditure. For the new fiscal year, under the project, renovation/construction of the packing facility at the Spring...

The Government will continue to rehabilitate irrigation infrastructure in St. Catherine and Clarendon during the upcoming fiscal year, through an additional allotment of $250 million. The money has been provided in the 2020/21 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. To be undertaken by the National Irrigation Commission, the works will include: replacement of an ageing and inefficient...

Three irrigation wells will be developed in Parnassus, Clarendon, during the upcoming fiscal year as part of the Southern Plains Agricultural Development project. A sum of $250.56 million has been set aside in the 2020/21 Estimates of Expenditure, to carry out this and other activities under the project. Additionally, under the project, Geographic Information System (GIS) equipment is to be...

The Government will be spending $1.25 billion in the upcoming fiscal year to rehabilitate approximately 80 kilometres (km) of farm roads islandwide. The money has been allotted in the 2020/21 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. The project, which is being implemented by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), has the objective to provide improved direct access...

Infrastructure works will continue in the arable Essex Valley area of St. Elizabeth during the new fiscal year, with additional funding of $612.37 million. The money has been allotted under the Essex Valley Irrigation Infrastructure Development Programme, as set out in the 2020/21 Estimates of Expenditure, now before the House of Representatives. For the upcoming fiscal period, work will include...

Work is slated to continue to upgrade the country’s closed-circuit television (CCTV) network in the new fiscal year. The Ministry of National Security will be spending $1.2 billion for the undertaking. Upgrading of Jamaica’s CCTV network will be done with the supply and installation of cameras and servers. The money will also be used to upgrade the radio communications network...

Minister without Portfolio with responsibility for Education, Youth and Information, Hon. Karl Samuda, says $5 billion has been added to the Ministry’s budget for the 2020/2021 financial year. “I am so very happy that my Cabinet members embraced the appeal I made, and with the kind of support that we have received from Prime Minister, the Most Hon. Andrew Holness,...

Work to enhance the resilience of the agricultural sector and coastal areas will continue during the next fiscal year, through a $235.9 million provision. This sum is set aside in the 2020/21 Estimates of Expenditure now before the House of Representatives. The project, which began in October 2012, is intended to safeguard livelihoods and food security in vulnerable communities by...