Farmers and agricultural stakeholders across Jamaica will receive financial literacy and business management training in the second phase of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) Financial Literacy and Inclusion Training Programme.

The initiative, being implemented in partnership with the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ), aims to enhance the financial capacity of agricultural sector stakeholders by equipping farmers with the knowledge to effectively manage their enterprises.

The first phase of the programme commenced in June 2025, during which 43 RADA Extension Officers were trained to serve as facilitators, tasked with delivering vital financial literacy and business management knowledge to farmers within their respective parishes.

Speaking during the programme’s launch at the Medallion Hall Hotel in Kingston on Thursday (August 28), RADA’s Chief Executive Officer (CEO), Garnet Edmondson, emphasised the importance of financial literacy in agriculture, noting that it plays a critical role in advancing Jamaica’s food security.

“If Jamaica is to achieve full food security [and] import substitution, we must start to build out our farmers. It makes absolutely no sense offering a farmer [some] chicks, feeds, [and] whatever [other] inputs or subsidies, without them understanding the importance of the financial management of their businesses,” he stated.

Edmondson explained that effective farm business management involves tracking daily operations, such as fuel used for transporting produce, wages paid to labourers, and decisions made by farmers on how to allocate earnings after crop sales.

The CEO further emphasised that while these decisions may appear minor, they have a direct impact on profitability. As such, he underscored the need for a mindset shift among farmers, encouraging them to approach their operations as businesses rather than simply farms.

“If our farmers understand that what we do today impacts national growth and productivity, they [will] realise that they are part of a chain, part of a system that is going to enhance total economic development,” Edmondson said.

Consequently, the CEO expressed gratitude to the DBJ for its involvement in the initiative, noting that it responds to a long-standing appeal from farmers seeking financial support.

Mr. Edmondson also noted that farmers who have already achieved remarkable outcomes with limited knowledge stand to benefit significantly from the programme, positioning them for exponential growth and long-term sustainability.