Farmers Getting Help

Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Christopher Tufton, has announced that the Ministry has commenced assisting farmers, whose crops were destroyed by Tropical Storm Gustav in August.
Speaking last week in Mandeville, where he re-launched the Farmers Registration Programme, he pointed out that the process would be completed in two weeks.
“Working with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), and Food for the Poor, we are providing seeds, fertiliser and technical support and over the next few weeks, this will reach farmers at the community and parish levels, who are registered. It won’t be a complete compensation for the damage suffered, but enough to get farmers back into production,” the Minister said.
He commended the Ministry’s Disaster Management Committee, for the work done to guide farmers before the storm and after it had passed.
“Despite our challenges, our farmers and critical stakeholders are still committed to agriculture, and they need to be commended for showing resilience during the recent challenge that we had. Also, the Disaster Management Committee, has work well in assisting farmers to prepare for the storm, through direct contact and information given via the media. And for doing the assessment in the two-week period that we had committed ourselves to, so that we could have a tangible report to act on,” he said.
Dr. Tufton said although the estimated figures are smaller than what the Government had to deal with in recent times, he would be working to ensure that restoration takes place in a reasonable time.
“The losses are no way near that of Ivan and Dean, it stands at about $1.5 billion, and this means that a number of farmers would have lost their hard labour, and we will do what we can to assist them to get back up and running,” the Minister said.