Farmers Urged To Register With RADA

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Derrick Kellier has called on farmers to be registered with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), as the data is necessary in the planning of the overall food security of the country.

“We are now moving to ensure that through RADA and the Jamaica Agricultural Society, every single farmer that is involved in farming is registered. We will then be able to plan better, when we are aware of how many farmers there are in the system,” the Minister said.

He was addressing farmers attending special meetings that were held at the Frazer Pentecostal Church of God in Cascade and Bamboo in St. Ann on December 3, during an extensive tour of seven farming communities across St. Ann.

The Minister noted that when crucial decisions are to be made in relation to farming activities, his Ministry will be better able to make the right decisions and approach special projects where farmers are to be integrally involved from a more informed position.

“We are making a commitment to work with you and support you as much as we can because we want to beat the drought next year … we have asked agriculture to play the major role in the growth agenda of the country and we (farmers) are one of the main pillars of this agenda.  Let’s work together and achieve this for our country,” Minister Kellier asserted.