Durrant Pate/Contributor

The government is rushing to the aid of the island’s farmers and fisherfolk, announcing a $3 billion agricultural recovery plan in parliament last evening.

Agriculture and Mining Minister Floyd Green disclosed in a statement in the House of Representatives that an immediate allocation of J$450 million from the remaining Production Incentive Programme is being redirected to emergency recovery, including replanting, restocking, and land preparation. This is a part of a larger J$3 billion plan, of which the full details will be outlined in subsequent updates to the nation.

This week, the ministry will start the distribution of $40 million worth of seeds through its RADA network across various production zones. Additionally, another J$80 million has been allocated for emergency procurement. This amount figure is split into J$50 million for seeds and J$30 million for agro-chemicals.

“In an attempt to remove the barriers to production and to rapidly expand the acres under production, the Rada Tractor Service will provide free land preparation for the next 6 months.  All seeds and planting material available through the ministry’s Boodles and RADA Nurseries will be free for the next three months,” Green told the lower house of Parliament.

While the hardest-hit western parishes are cleared and repaired, the Agriculture Ministry will focus on early planting in the least-affected areas, especially Eastern Jamaica and Agro-Parks, to feed the nation now. The Agro-Investment Corporation will lead an initial wave of 200 acres of sweet pepper, 150 acres of cassava, 150 acres of sweet potato, 200 acres of open-field vegetables, 150 acres of hot pepper, and 150 acres of escallion. 

Fisheries and crop support

Support is coming for the fisheries sub-sector, with generators already dispatched to Alligator Pond and Montego Bay to Marine Fuel Stations, with the expectation that these stations will be operational today. In addition, one will be dispatched to Great Bay by the end of this week. The team has been cleaning the fuel station at White House and assessing whether a generator can get it up and running.

“We are putting in place Mobile Marine Fuel Stations for Black River and Whitehouse. We will reproduce the current IDs and licence that have been reported lost. Fishers in the hardest-hit areas are urged to report if they have lost their documents. A moratorium on licensing and ID fees for 6 months is being implemented,” the minister announced. This week, the ministry will start a programme of wire, net and rope distribution focusing on beaches where fishers are able to go out and will be assisting with gear and vessel replacement, clearing debris at landing sites, and restoring utilities and safe access so that fishing communities can resume operations quickly.

The Sugar Company of Jamaica (SCJ) will be providing an initial $5 million in land preparation for farmers who occupy SCJ lands, while the government will be making an initial allocation of $10 million to provide urgent support to the apiculture sector, largely through the provision of supplemental feed such as sugar. As MPs are usually the first point of contact for a number of farmers, the administration will also be mobilising support through the members of parliament to registered farmers. 

Beneficiary listings will have to be provided to RADA. These initial allocations will range from $1 million to $3 million, depending on the severity of the damage. The government is also undertaking emergency repairs to priority farm roads so that communities are reconnected and produce can move efficiently to market. 

Moratorium on lease payments 

Minister Green also spoke about strategic programs around livestock, focusing on quickly revitalising the poultry sector through an initial allocation of J$40 million. For farmers in the Agro-Parks, the government will implement a moratorium on lease payments so that cash-flow pressures are eased while production is restarted. There will also be irrigation support, where the government has already begun distributing free non-potable water to farmers and farming communities in the worst-affected areas. 

In addition, the administration is also providing free trucking of water in those critical areas with plans to repair and upgrade irrigation systems to ensure reliable water supply. 

Preparing for future challenges 

According to the Agriculture and Mining Minister, “We will outline a larger program of intervention in the coming weeks, including implementing climate-smart agricultural practices to build resilience against future weather events. Enhancing storage and processing capabilities to extend the shelf life of our produce.” This will also involve strengthening local food distribution networks and enhancing the awareness of climate change and mitigation strategies among our farming and fishing communities. 

Also on the drawing board is enhancing early warning systems for our agricultural and fishing communities, including on-beach warning systems and improving spatial planning and resilience of infrastructure on farming lands and on fishing beaches and increasing the number of safe spaces for storing agricultural equipment and mooring fishing vessels during extreme weather events. 

The plan is to also establish backup power supply systems for all irrigation systems.