Farmers Urged to Utilise Climate-Smart Technology

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Floyd Green encourages farmers to utilise more climate-smart technology and practices to minimise crop loss from more regular and intense weather events.

Speaking at a tour of the Greenhouse Cluster and Water Harvesting Project located at Content in Williamsfield, Manchester, on Thursday, July 22.

Minister Green said Jamaica is very sensitive to the effects of climate change, as it is a small developing state and incorporating climate-smart technology can be beneficial.

“We have to move from open-field agriculture to protected agriculture so that we can maximise the land space we have and use up reclaimed lands such as mined-out bauxite lands that are not being used,” he said.

The Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF), Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI II) have given their support to farmers growing vegetables in 20 greenhouses on mined-out bauxite lands.

REDI II intends to improve both the agricultural and tourism sectors by improving access to markets and increasing climate-resilient approaches for targeted beneficiaries.

The initiative will run for the next five years.

World Bank has donated US$42 million to fund the initiative, and involves partnership with the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI) and the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA),

The aim is to enhance linkages among producers, service providers, and buyers to improve economies for small agricultural and tourism enterprises while enhancing market access for these operators.

Organised groups can get up to US$500,000 for an approved project.