Training and Field Days Main Features of Farmers’ Month

President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), Glendon Harris, says Farmers’ Month 2012 will feature mainly field days and training activities.

“We are of the strong belief that training is one of the direct means to empower our farmers to increase productivity and, as a result, during this year’s Farmers’ Month, we will be focusing our energies on field days and training days in most of the parishes,” he informed.

The President was speaking at the launch of Farmers’ Month, held at the downtown Kingston offices of the JAS, on April 4.

Mr. Harris pointed out that the activities will take place at specific locations in several parishes throughout the month of April.

Some highlights include agricultural field days in St. Ann on April 5 at Bensonton/Harmony; and Madras, Barnstaple on April 11; the Montpelier and St. Mary Agricultural shows, on Easter Monday April 9; and a Hi Pro training day at Ginger Hill in St. Elizabeth, on April 10.

On April 12 there will be a Hi Pro seminar in St. Vincent, Trelawny and a field day in Braes River, St. Elizabeth.  For April 13, a field day will be held in Goshen in that parish, while a Newport Fersan field day will take place at Stettin, in Trelawny, on April 16.

The venue for the field day on April 18 is Muir House, Middle Buxton in St. Ann. On April 19, there will be another Hi Pro seminar at Bunkers Hill, and a Newport Fersan field day in Perth Town on April 23, in Trelawny. That same day will also feature a training day in rabbit production at Southfield, in St. Elizabeth.

Activities will also include church services in several parishes; sessions promoting agriculture in schools; a farmers’ forum; an Agri-Expo; and a farmers’ market.

In the meantime, Mr. Harris lauded farmers for their increased level of productivity last year, despite challenges, which led to the growth of the economy.

“The recorded growth of our economy by 1.5 per cent during the past year was largely due to improved performance within the agricultural sector. The estimate of crop production for 2011 also revealed increases in all four quarters of that year, relative to corresponding periods in 2010,” he said.

By Alecia Smith-Edwards, JIS Reporter