Ministry Commences Distribution of 100,000 Broiler Chickens

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, through the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), has commenced the distribution of 100,000 broiler chickens and feed to farmers islandwide.

This is part of a $100-million Broiler Recovery Programme, aimed at restoring poultry production following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa on October 28.

The programme was launched on Tuesday (December 16), during a handover ceremony at Kristen Ambersly’s Broiler Farm in Holland Village, St. Elizabeth, a community that suffered significant losses during the hurricane.

Addressing farmers at the ceremony, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, said the initiative is aimed primarily at restarting operations for small poultry farmers whose livelihoods were disrupted.

“So, today we’re officially launching our Broiler Recovery Programme where we will be providing over a hundred thousand birds across Jamaica to restart, especially our small chicken farmers to get them back on their feet,” Minister Green said.

He noted that poultry production remains one of Jamaica’s strongest agricultural subsectors and a critical contributor to national food security.

“Poultry is one of the areas that we are very proud of at the Ministry. In fact, it is one of the things that we can boast, that Jamaica can feed itself when it comes to chicken,” he said.

Minister Green explained that small and backyard farmers play a critical role in the industry, accounting for a substantial share of national production.

“A huge part of that are our small chicken farmers, largely our backyard chicken farmers, and those farmers are responsible for about 40 per cent of our entire chicken industry,” he said, adding that “the vast majority of those small farmers are women.”

“In hurricane Melissa, we lost over 700,000 broiler birds, which account for about six per cent of our total population,” the Minister noted.

Beyond the distribution of birds, Minister Green outlined a broader recovery package that includes feed, vitamins and infrastructural support.

“We’re also going to be purchasing feed. We’re also going to be purchasing vitamins, but there’s also another element, because it does not make sense we give you a chicken and you don’t have anywhere,” he said.

“As a part of the programme, we’re going to be providing infrastructural repairs to poultry houses… roofing, wiring and fencing. In fact, our total package that we’re looking to spend to resuscitate our broiler chicken sector is about $100 million,” the Minister added.

Mr. Green said the Government’s approach is focused on empowering farmers to recover sustainably, rather than fostering dependence.

“We are not a hand-out society… in a time like this, we just need a little start and we will help ourselves,” he said.

The Broiler Recovery Programme forms part of the Government’s wider Hurricane Melissa agricultural recovery efforts, aimed at restoring production, protecting livelihoods and ensuring Jamaica continues to feed itself.