Seventeen-year-old Khimali Johnson was surprised but elated when his name was announced as the winner of the beekeeping competition at the 2023 Jamaica 4-H Clubs’ National Achievement Exposition held recently at the Denbigh Showground in Clarendon. He tells JIS News that during the judging “there were confident participants and it kind of lowered my confidence,” but he kept his composure....

It was not long ago that seven-year-old Devoni Grant was the proud owner of eight goats and a promising livestock enterprise, which he operated alongside his father, Devon Grant, in Sandy Bay, Clarendon, where they reside. So attached was the youngster to his goats that he gave each of them a name, including his favourite, a nanny who m he...

Newly Crowned Female Youth Ambassador for the Portland 4-H Clubs, Chris-Ann Witter, has created what she hopes will be an organic, pioneering solution to treat acne and enhance the skin. The 17-year-old Port Antonio High School student has formulated the Acne and Collagen Crème, utilising components of the Jamaican breadfruit and salicylic acid, which is a recognised acne-fighting ingredient. Speaking...

Fifteen farmers and four government officers have benefited from training in sustainable hydroponics production systems, under the ‘Addressing the Water-Energy-Food Nexus’ (WEF) Project. This was made possible through a partnership between the Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAO), the Government of Mexico and the Government of Jamaica. WEF is a subproject of the Mexico-CARICOM-FAO ‘Cooperation for Climate...

The Banana Board is urging plantain and banana farmers to make a report should their crops show any signs of the Panama Tropical Race 4 (TR4) disease as the country remains on high alert. The disease is considered one of the most notable diseases in the history of agriculture and is the most destructive disease to have affected bananas, plantains...

The historic Newcastle Parade Grounds, in St. Andrew, came alive on Saturday (March 25) for the sixth annual Jamaica Blue Mountain Coffee Festival. The event, held last year at Devon House in Kingston, returned to its picturesque home, providing patrons with the ambience and inspiration of all things Blue Mountain coffee. Scores of coffee lovers, both locally and internationally, were...

Commercial banana and plantain farmers can benefit from the $38-million Catastrophe Fund established by the Banana Board, if they register before March 31. The Catastrophe Fund supports the recovery of farmers in the industry affected by natural disasters. General Manager of the Banana Board, Mrs. Janet Conie, tells JIS News that the Board has been visiting communities to encourage registration....

When she’s not out in the field tending to her animals or in front of a classroom full of eager students, National Farm Queen for 2022, Sutanya Ellington, can be found advocating for the equitable advancement of women in agriculture. Since taking the coveted crown last summer at the Denbigh Agricultural Industrial Food Show, the Manchester native has built a...

In the age of technology and innovation, the Agriculture and Fisheries Ministry is on a mission to revolutionise the sector through efficiency and sustainability, and change the way Jamaicans view and approach farming. Against this background, the Ministry’s latest investment, through the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), entails the procurement of two Agri-Spray Drones to provide much-needed relief to farmers...