Farmers Encouraged To Utilise The Pasture Improvement And Fodder Bank Development Programme

Farmers islandwide are being encouraged to send in their requests for grass, under the Pasture Improvement and Fodder Bank Development Programme.

The programme aims to sustain adequate nutrient supplies of grass for grazing by cattle by supporting pastures across the island.

Chief Executive Officer of the Jamaica Dairy Development Board (JDDB), Devon Sayers, told JIS News that the Programme has been in place for over seven years.

“We provide farmers with access to new varieties of tropical grass that were created to be drought-tolerant and they produce better quality fodder for the animals… meaning they are higher protein grass. We’ve been going around introducing these new varieties and also assisting farmers in developing their pastures and fodder banks. This effort also forms part of our climate resilient efforts,” he explained.

Livestock farmers who own cattle, goats or sheep can benefit under the Programme.

They are being encouraged to email their requests to the JDDB or submit these requests through JDDB officers assigned to different locations.

“Last year, we didn’t do as much as we did before; because there was good weather and requests are made on a needs basis. If the weather is good there are less requests. Generally how it works is we provide the seeds, assist with the land preparation activities and supervise the planting,” Mr. Sayers indicated.

Farmers can call the JDDB at 876-927-1731-50, send an email to dairyboard@moa.gov.jm or visit the website www.jddb.gov.jm, for more information.

For more updates on the work of the Jamaica Dairy Development Board, persons can also visit their Instagram page at JDDB Official.