USF to Expand Internet Access to Agro Parks

Agro parks across the island will soon benefit from free Internet access, as the Universal Service Fund (USF) looks to expand its reach beyond traditional community access points to support wider government initiatives.

Speaking at a recent Jamaica Information Service (JIS) Think Tank, Chief Executive Officer (CEO), USF, Charlton McFarlane, said plans are afoot to partner with the authorities managing Jamaica’s 10 agro parks, in response to an urgent call for Internet connectivity across these large-scale farming zones.

“One agro park spans approximately 500 acres, and currently, there is no community Wi-Fi solution that can adequately cover that size. This is a major undertaking for the USF but the benefits are equally significant,” Mr. McFarlane said.

The CEO further noted that equipping agro parks with reliable Internet will empower farmers to improve farm monitoring, enhance livestock tracking, and leverage digital tools to manage operations more efficiently.

This initiative is part of a broader strategy by the USF to re-energise Community Access Points (CAPs) across the island, while also expanding its mandate to support digital transformation in other critical sectors of government and national development.

“The value of this investment lies in the long-term impact on food security, agricultural productivity, and rural empowerment,” Mr. McFarlane noted.

He added that USF’s commitment to bridging the digital divide continues to play a crucial role in ensuring equitable access to technology, particularly in underserved and remote areas.

The USF is an Agency under the Ministry of Science, Energy, Telecommunications and Transport mandated to ensure access to information and communication tools to facilitate development.