The Government of Jamaica, in collaboration with the Caribbean Agricultural Research and Development Institute (CARDI), is pumping US$230,000 into a pilot programme on climate resilience that will expand and upgrade the seed storage facility at the Bodles Research Station in Old Harbour, St Catharine.

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Floyd Green, in his contribution to the 2021/22 Sectoral Debate in Parliament on Wednesday (May 12), said that the facility will house the best quality seeds for vegetables, cover crops, field crops and legumes.

“This will be a major focus for the new financial year as the Crop Breeding Unit at Bodles ramps up its seed testing and [evaluation] capacity and protocols for the multiplication of speciality seeds, especially organic seeds, as we go for the organic market,” he said.

He contended that if Jamaica is to become truly food secure “we have to start at the source”, which are seeds.

“Issues regarding our seed stock, importation of seeds and the development and adoption of new varieties are critical to the path towards food security. It is for that reason that we are fast-tracking our implementation on the National Seed Policy laid in this [House of Representatives] in 2019,” he said.

Green informed that for the next two years will his ministry will greatly focus on the establishment of a certified out-grower scheme for commercial seed production.

This, he explained, will include registering and certifying seed producers, developing protocols as well as identifying suitable land space and facilities for commercial seed production.

Minister Green said the Government has heard the concerns expressed by farmers about the quality of some imported seeds and is working towards addressing the situation.

“Through our Research and Extension team, with support from the Agricultural Land Management Division, we will be partnering with local seed suppliers to evaluate new commercial crop varieties at our research stations and follow-up field demonstration plots on farmers’ holdings to track the performance of these crop varieties. This will provide us with early information on seed performance and inform recommendations for the suitability of the varieties for growing areas and inform farmers of best practices,” he said.