Minister Green Outlines Drought Mitigation Strategies for Agriculture

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, has outlined a raft of drought mitigation strategies designed to bolster the agriculture sector.

These measures are in response to a report from the Meteorological Service of Jamaica, which forecasts that the country will face drier conditions and elevated heat levels this year, with the possibility of a severe drought.

During his contribution to the 2026/27 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on Wednesday (May 13), Minister Green announced a $145-million programme for the construction of mini water catchment ponds, to be completed in the high-production zones.

“We’re going to be building out water catchment ponds and we’re targeting those parishes that are known for drought. There are some communities that have catchment tanks already [and] we want to rehabilitate those… and use them for agriculture,” he said.

Mr. Green noted that the programme will be implemented through the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA).

The Ministry will also strengthen water delivery to underserved areas by procuring two additional water trucks for the National Irrigation Commission (NIC).

Other drought mitigation strategies will include the distribution of plastic and grass mulch, the provision of drip irrigation systems, and the supply of water tanks.

The Minister noted that these strategies are already being implemented and will require the support of Members of Parliament (MPs).

“So, today you will get an allocation to help your farmers deal with the oncoming drought. We want to start now before it is too late,” Mr. Green urged.

Looking ahead, the Minister announced that this year the NIC will begin exploring non-traditional water sources to meet the demands of the agriculture sector.

“We’re going to be looking at desalination facilities to use that to provide irrigated water for our farmers. We’re also going to be looking at grey water-based technologies as we drive our long-term water resilience,” Mr. Green further outlined.

He added that irrigation initiatives will continue, with 6,000 hectares earmarked to be fitted with systems over the next five years.

These include the ongoing Pedro Plains Irrigation Project, which will serve more than 4,000 hectares, along with four smaller projects that will cover approximately 2,000 hectares.

Minister Green pointed out that this expansion will result in more than 50 per cent of the nation’s arable land having reliable access to water.

He assured farmers that the Essex Valley Irrigation Infrastructure Development Programme will activate its supply before the end of 2026, while the Amity Hall/Bridge Pen irrigation system is scheduled to come on stream by the second quarter of 2027.