RADA to Provide Support for Farmers Impacted by Hurricane Melissa

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) has mobilised to provide critical technical support and conduct comprehensive damage assessments for farmers impacted by the recent passage of Hurricane Melissa.

The major category-five storm made landfall in New Hope, Westmoreland, on Tuesday (October 28) with maximum sustained winds estimated at 295 kilometres per hour (185 miles per hour), devastating western parishes and sections of central Jamaica.

Director of Public Relations and Communication at RADA, Camille Beckford, confirmed that the agency is currently offering on-the-ground technical advice to help farmers manage their immediate losses and protect their remaining assets.

“RADA is providing technical support to the farmers to assist them in salvaging what has been lost, and if there are animals that have perished, we would let them know exactly how to treat with that and to maintain what they currently have, so right now that is the main thing that is being done,” Ms. Beckford said, in an interview with JIS News on November 5.

She acknowledged that the Government will provide broader financial assistance to farmers but noted that it “is going to take a little time, so right now we are providing that technical advice to our farmers”.

In the meantime, RADA is visiting farms to conduct damage assessments, including deploying drones in hard-to-reach places to ascertain the losses that the farmers have incurred.

Ms. Beckford pointed out that this assessment is being done islandwide, as the impact from the catastrophic storm has been far-reaching, though the severity varies.

“There are some [losses]… within the eastern section, for example, in St. Mary and some in St. Thomas, to a lesser extent though in comparison to the west,” she noted.

Ms. Beckford pointed out that crop replanting has begun, mainly in eastern parishes, where possible, though the priority is on salvaging crops that can be saved.

“Of course, you have areas like Bog Hole [in Clarendon], and Douglas Castle [in St. Ann] – areas with large vegetation – where the waters were in spate; now they are waiting for the water to be cleared for them to start,” she added.

Ms. Beckford noted that some areas in St. Elizabeth that were spared the major damage of Hurricane Melissa continue to produce, but “it is to a lesser extent”.

Farmers can also contact RADA to report the extent of the damage they received from the weather system, so they can be assisted accordingly.

They can call RADA hotline at 888-ASK-RADA (275-7232) or WhatsApp 876-436-8879.