West Central St. Catherine Farmers to Benefit from Ginger and Pineapple Project

Some 3,000 farmers in West Central St. Catherine are to benefit from a ginger and pineapple programme being spearheaded by Minister of Health, Dr. the Hon. Christopher Tufton in collaboration with Newport Fersan.

At the recent launch of the project in the community of Macka Tree, the farmers were presented with tools and fertilisers.

They will also receive training from the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA).

Dr. Tufton, who is Member of Parliament for the area, said some 20 farm groups will benefit from the support.

“Agriculture is a major economic activity in the rural part of the constituency, and the idea is to make the farmers farm better, more efficiently, and (we) will help them to find markets,” he said in an interview with JIS News.

He said that next year, the farmers will receive additional training and markets will be held where retailers and restaurateurs will be invited to buy directly from the farmers.

Dr. Tufton also told JIS News that 100 persons, most of whom are women, are participating in a chicken-rearing programme, which is being done in collaboration with Jamaica Broilers.

He said the beneficiaries have been given an opportunity to empower themselves. He expressed the hope that the programme will be expanded over time, as the beneficiaries will be given assistance with marketing of the chickens.

He noted that some 30 per cent of chickens in the marketplace are supplied by small producers “so there is a definite market for that”.

Farmers Blasida Anderson and Allan Roberts, who will benefit from the ginger and pineapple programme, expressed gratitude, noting that it will enable them to increase production.