RADA Assisting Farmers in St. Ann

The St. Ann branch of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) is currently assessing the hurricane damage to crops of farmers in the parish, with the objective of helping them to begin replanting.
“At present, officers and temporary employees of RADA are out in the fields making assessment of the damage done to the many farms. This assessment will probably last up to three weeks, but as soon as the process is completed, farmers will be compensated in the form of coupons,” Acting Parish Manager for RADA, Pedro Worghs told JIS News.
He pointed out that about 50 per cent of the crops or 688 hectares were destroyed or seriously affected by Hurricane Ivan.
“Hectares of pulses (peas and beans), vegetables, condiments (seasoning), cereals, ground provisions and sorrel were destroyed. Farmers in the parish also suffered loss in miscellaneous fruit trees, with approximately 180 hectares destroyed,” he said.
Mr. Worghs noted that losses in livestock were not as severe as the damage to domestic crops.
He said that 39,500 chickens, 3,000 layers, 40 heads of dairy cattle, 200 heads of beef cattle, 1,100 pigs, 654 goats and 156 rabbits died during the hurricane.
Mr. Worghs appealed to the farmers in the parish to be patient and understanding, as the RADA team was working to ensure that proper treatment is given to those who suffered losses during the hurricane.
“As a farmer, if you feel that you are being left out, you can contact any of the RADA Area Offices in the parish and relay your information to our officers,” he explained.