As Jamaica’s coconut industry works to recover from the effects of Hurricane Melissa and other longstanding challenges, the Coconut Industry Board (CIB) is placing renewed emphasis on research and innovation as a key pillar of the sector’s recovery and long-term sustainability. Chief Executive Officer of the Board, Shaun Cameron, says scientific research remains central to efforts to rebuild the industry,...

What began in February 2025 as a collaborative project among three engineering students at the University of Technology, Jamaica (UTech), has quickly evolved into a business focused on advancing food security at the institution and in the nearby market. The student-led venture, drawing on expertise from both engineering and agriculture, was officially registered as Agrosphere Enterprise Limited in November 2025...

As Jamaica’s agricultural sector recovers from Hurricane Melissa, the Agricultural Marketing Information and Incentives Branch (AMIIB) within the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining is using data to guide decisions, stabilise markets and strengthen food security. Principal Director for AMIIB, Kevin Condappa, explains that timely and accurate agricultural data has been essential in assessing the damage caused by the hurricane...

While the Corporate Area pulses with the rhythms of commerce and traffic, a quiet revolution in urban farming is unfolding in the backyard of a Havendale home. Managing Partner and Operations Director of Jamaica Tower Farms, Kerrie-Anne Gray, together with her partner, John Mark Clayton, are demonstrating through aeroponic towers that feeding a nation does not require vast rural acreage...

Students of José Martí Technical High School in St. Catherine are no longer just learning how to plant and reap crops; they are mastering the science and technology that will define the future of agriculture. At the heart of this transformation is a state-of-the-art smart greenhouse, a pilot initiative that is reshaping how agriculture is taught and experienced in Jamaican...

Clarendon native, Amoy Crawford, envisioned a career in agriculture while a student at Claude McKay High School in the parish. Attending the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) in Portland became part of her plan, but financial challenges made the journey uncertain. Added to that, she wrestled with the thought of leaving home. “I wanted to get a feel...

Farmers across Jamaica are being encouraged to test soil pH as a critical step in improving crop productivity and getting better value from fertiliser use. Testing determines if soil is too acidic or alkaline, which directly impacts nutrient availability and prevents over fertilisation. Soil Fertility Specialist, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Dennis Joosse, tells JIS News that understanding soil...

When 42-year-old Kayanne Cole decided to go into farming, she did not know how to properly use a machete. She had never cleared land, never planted a crop and never imagined herself operating a farm. “I knew absolutely nothing about farming,” Miss Cole tells JIS News. Just over two years later, the financial advisor and mother of two is cultivating...