St. James Small Farmers Get Water Tanks from TEF
By: , March 13, 2022The Key Point:
Photo: Okoye Henry
Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett (eight left), and Executive Director of the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF), Dr. Carey Wallace (seventh left), symbolically hand over 20 water storage tanks to small farmers from St. James, at the Barrett Town Primary School in the parish on Friday (March 11)The Facts
- Fifty tanks were recently donated to farmers from the Short Hill District in St. Elizabeth under the initiative.
- He told JIS News that having received a tank with drip irrigation features, his daily task of watering his crops will be easier and more efficient.
The Full Story
Small farmers from several communities in St. James have received a major boost through the donation of 20 water storage tanks from the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF).
The 650-gallon tanks, procured through TEF’s Tourism Linkages Network (TLN) were handed over to the farmers on Friday (March 11), during a ceremony at the Barrett Town Primary School in the parish.
The tanks, which include features for drip irrigation, will increase farmers’ access to water in order to boost agricultural production to supply the local tourism market.
Tourism Minister, Hon. Edmund Bartlett, who attended the handing over, said that the recipients are from Palmyra, Paisley, Sunderland, John’s Hall, Barrett Town, and other communities.
“What we’re really doing is showing how tourism is integrated into the wider community and enabling wealth creation and economic well-being,” he noted.
“So, we’re very pleased to continue the programme of providing support to the small farmers, who are connected with the tourism sector,” he added.
The donation of the water storage tanks forms part of a $4 million three-month training and support initiative for farmers, to enhance their ability to supply the tourism sector.
Fifty tanks were recently donated to farmers from the Short Hill District in St. Elizabeth under the initiative.
Executive Director of the TEF, Dr. Carey Wallace, said the entity understands the need to strengthen the tourism-agriculture link.
“Providing these water tanks and irrigation support is our way of ensuring that our local farmers can step up to those standards that the hotels are asking for,” he noted.
“What we want is… to replace [imports] with local supplies and this is part of initiatives that we have [under] the Tourism Linkages Network,” Dr. Wallace added.
Farmer from Moore Park, Coby Dinham, expressed gratitude for the donation.
He told JIS News that having received a tank with drip irrigation features, his daily task of watering his crops will be easier and more efficient.