New State-of-the-Art Rada Office Opens In Lucea

More than 7,000 registered farmers in Hanover are to benefit from improved extension services, following the official opening of the new state-of-the-art multi-million-dollar Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) office in Lucea, Hanover, on Wednesday (December 14).

Construction of the new office commenced in January 2020 and was completed at a cost of approximately $110 million.

The new facility replaces the old, dilapidated RADA building that was demolished in 2017.

Speaking at the official opening ceremony, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., said that the new RADA office will have a positive impact on agriculture in Hanover.

He said the facility will provide the kind of working environment that will enable RADA personnel to perform optimally.

“I believe that our farmers deserve the best service. I believe that by constructing this facility, we will be in a better position to provide them with the service that they deserve. I believe that we have a committed set of RADA staff members, who deserve a safe and comfortable environment to work in,” he noted.

“I want to encourage you to use these additional resources to propel yourselves. Come 2023, we want Hanover to move up in the numbers in terms of domestic production,” Minister Charles added.

The Agriculture and Fisheries Minister noted that there are “enormous opportunities for agricultural expansion in Hanover” and urged farmers to put the 4,500 hectares of arable lands lying idle in the parish to use.

He further encouraged farmers to continue to drive growth in the sector, which, he said, will help the country to become self-sufficient.

Additionally, he called on farmers to explore the prospects of exporting products to CARICOM member countries, noting that Hanover boasts produce that will do well in that market.

“We have to market across CARICOM, plus the Jamaican brand itself is of enormous value,” Mr. Charles Jr. said.

“When you talk about breadfruit – and I was reliably informed that the parish of Hanover is blessed with an abundance of breadfruit – I’m looking forward to the breadfruit orchards in the parish. It is not just cultivating and then selling a breadfruit, but extending the value chain looking into breadfruit flour, looking into all of the other value-added [products] that can come from these crops,” he pointed out.

For his part, Mayor of Lucea, Councillor Sheridan Samuels, welcomed the new facility, which, he said, will provide greater opportunities for farmers in the parish.

He commended the RADA officers in Hanover for their contribution to the farming sector over the years.