Sustainable Family Farming Workshop Under Way

Over 50 small farmers and other stakeholders in agriculture are participating in a training session on sustainable family farming from June 1-2. The ‘Strengthening the Capacity of Farmers’ Organizations to Promote Sustainable Family Farming’ national stakeholder workshop is organised by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), in collaboration with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Other partners in the staging of the event are the Farmers’ Organizations for Africa, Caribbean, and the Pacific (FO4ACP) Programme, the European Union (EU) and PROCASUR Corporation, which focuses on programmes and projects that improve the economic, social and environmental lives of rural people.

Over the two days, participants will gain a better understanding of family farming, which is described as organised agricultural pursuits managed and operated by a family and predominantly reliant on family labour.

They will also discuss the challenges faced by small-scale farmers in Jamaica.

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr, said that the discussion is important as the Government continues to drive food security.

“Food security is a priority area on the Ministry’s agenda. Every strategy and initiative we aim to implement must, at the end of the day, contribute in terms of advancing the bigger picture… . This means that what we do must empower, engage and educate our small-scale farmers,” he noted.

“Every effort has to be made to ensure that we identify the challenges that affect their growth and the areas where we can give more support,” he added, noting that some of these include limited access to financing and the impact of praedial larceny.

Minister Charles Jr. was delivering opening remarks at the start of the workshop on Wednesday (June 1), at the Courtleigh Hotel and Suites in New Kingston.

Day one of the training session saw more than 27 persons joining virtually and 26 on location.

Programme Management Assistant with the FAO, Jhanel Tomlinson, said the discussions will also explore the components necessary to achieve success and sustainability among small-scale farmers.

“We also want to make sure that we capture as much information in relation to not only the challenges but also the solutions in improving the capacity of farmers’ organisations to promote sustainable family farming in Jamaica,” she said.

FAO Representative for Jamaica, The Bahamas and Belize, Dr. Crispim Moreira, for his part, noted that finding solutions that can improve the outcome for farmers is now more crucial than ever, given the rise in food and fertiliser prices due to the ongoing pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

He said that the FO4ACP Programme, provides support in this regard, through initiatives aimed at increasing incomes and improving livelihoods, as well as the nutrition, security and safety of organised small holders and family farmers in Jamaica.

The FO4ACP Programme focuses on increasing the capacity of small-scale producer organisations in advocating for their members.