Farmers Urged to Implement Comprehensive Farm Emergency Plan

With losses of more than $1 billion from Hurricane Beryl and forecasts of up to seven major hurricanes from now through November, the country’s farmers are being urged to prepare for the possibility of more severe weather systems.

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is imploring farmers to develop a Comprehensive Farm Emergency Plan and strengthen existing strategies as a proactive measure against storms.

Speaking with JIS News, Senior Plant Health and Food Safety Officer with RADA, Francine Webb, says a proactive approach to natural hazards is crucial in ensuring the sustainability of farming in Jamaica.

“In the face of adversity, our farms and communities can recover swiftly and continue to thrive if we are able to prepare ourselves. We know what to expect and so we can better plan to reduce the likelihood and intensity of losses by putting in mitigation measures,” she notes.

Ms. Webb says that emergency management aims to minimise the effects of natural hazards and begins with preparedness measures.

“You’re looking at responding safely to an emergency and what that will entail given your farm circumstances. You’re also looking at recovering from that emergency, and that is cyclical. So, the Comprehensive Farm Emergency Plan should include steps to identify potential disasters by assessing the types of the hazards, and… we can look squarely at hurricanes within this hurricane season,” she explains.

Farmers are encouraged to think about the potential impact hurricanes can have on their farms and try to plan for them as best as possible.

The steps or strategies should be documented to determine how the farmer will respond, mitigate risks and guide recovery efforts.

Inventory management is an essential part of the Comprehensive Farm Emergency Plan. With or without the threat of a hurricane, inventory management is considered a good business practice and can make it easier for farmers to account for losses.

Ms. Webb says that livestock farmers should keep a detailed inventory of animals.

For crop farmers, she advises, “You want to look at your crops, what crops do you have, what type of machinery do you have? Your equipment, your hazardous substances, like your pesticides and your fertiliser, which is why your farm documentation is important. Putting your documents in a safe place such as your Ziplock bags, where they are not likely to get wet, is also important.”

“RADA is there to help you with your farm documentation as part of good agricultural practice, so you can contact us if you have not started or if you have not completed the process. We will help in guiding you as to the different types of records that you need to have and those types of records will also help in making your inventory management system a lot easier to compile,” Ms. Webb says.

In addition to an effective inventory system, strengthening and securing infrastructure should also be part of the plan.

Farm buildings, storage facilities and livestock shelters should all be sturdy and located away from flood-prone areas.

These spaces should be leak-proof and battened down.

“You’re also going to need to look at your shelters that you have for your livestock. Is it sturdy? Does it need repair? For those who can, you should stockpile some essentials, so you have adequate supplies. You’re going to need feed, water and the necessary medication for your livestock,” Ms. Webb points out.

While stockpiling of resources is recommended, farmers should be mindful of expiry dates of foods and treatments. Crop farmers will also need to focus on disease prevention, prior to heavy rains.

“The likelihood is that you’re going to have more pests and diseases. You would want to look at that to ensure now that you’re switching to your systemic products [that is absorbed by the plant] as opposed to your contact products, which will work and operate from the surface,” Ms. Webb advises.

Another key feature is an evacuation plan, which, ideally, should be rehearsed with critical personnel. This is especially important for livestock owners, who need to identify higher ground and safe shelters.

“This is where the whole community comes in as well. It’s important for farmers to see the benefits of being in a group because this kind of activity can be done for farmers within a particular area that would have certain circumstances in common and would share shelters,” Ms. Webb points out.

She says that communication is a critical part of the emergency plan.

“So, you want to maintain open lines of communication with your farm personnel, with your local emergency services, with your agricultural extension officer and with RADA, which is why it’s important for you to be registered. Being registered helps the Government to be better able to plan for you,” she says.

For help in creating a Comprehensive Farm Emergency Plan, farmers can reach out to RADA at 876-977-1158.