Trained Cocoa Farmers Receive Seeds and Tools

Fifty cocoa farmers who successfully completed training in Cocoa Frosty Pod Disease Management have received seeds and agricultural tools from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining.

The presentation took place at a graduation ceremony held on April 1 at the Denbigh Showground in Clarendon.

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Floyd Green, explained that the donation by the Ministry was part of support for continued recovery and productivity in the sector.

He reaffirmed the Government’s commitment to revitalising the cocoa industry through training and material support.

Mr. Green noted that the country remains one of the few producers of fine-flavoured cocoa.

He recalled the emergence of the devastating Frosty Pod disease nearly a decade ago and stressed that the Government made a deliberate decision not to abandon the crop but instead to intensify efforts to combat the disease and protect farmers’ livelihoods.

The Minister said that between 2016 and 2022, an overarching national project laid the foundation for managing the disease. However, he emphasised that lasting success requires a shift in strategy.

“If we are really going to be successful in countering Frosty Pod, we have to take a farmer-centric approach,” he said, pointing out that farmers must remain at the centre of all interventions for meaningful and sustainable impact.

He said that since moving the programme to the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), it has recorded significant progress.

Some 3,028 acres have been treated using cultural disease management practices, with an additional 497 acres benefiting from targeted chemical interventions. Importantly, more than 1,300 farmers have directly benefited, while more than 2,300 farmers have been trained through farmer field schools and related initiatives.

Minister Green noted that demonstration plots established across several parishes have been instrumental in driving behavioural change among farmers.

These ‘living classrooms’, he explained, allow farmers to observe and adopt best agricultural practices, including the use of disease-tolerant planting material such as ICS-95, which is helping to strengthen the resilience of cocoa farms.

Emphasising the value of knowledge, the Minister encouraged farmers to prioritise training opportunities.

He described the farmer field school model as “best in class”, noting its hands-on, problem-solving approach. The programme has exceeded expectations, with participation surpassing initial targets, and more than 85 per cent of participants meeting graduation requirements.

Minister Green further disclosed that Jamaica recently secured an $8-billion grant from the Green Climate Fund, with a significant portion earmarked to expand farmer field schools across the island.

This investment, he said, will strengthen capacity-building, improve disease management, and enhance productivity within the agricultural sector.

The Minister pointed to rising global cocoa prices and growing demand for Jamaica’s high-quality product, while also outlining additional support measures, including post-hurricane recovery assistance, replanting initiatives, and a renewed fruit tree programme.

The Ministry has also introduced an equipment and tools revolving loan scheme, providing access to items such as pole pruners, chainsaws, brush cutters, mist blowers, motorised sprayers, and reaping hooks. Additionally, more than 1,200 bags of specially formulated fertiliser are being distributed to support crop recovery and improve yields.