Prime Minister Andrew Holness says the government aims to make the agricultural sector more resilient while mitigating climate challenges.

Holness outlined that Jamaica has about 40 per cent of its land mass, which could be considered arable.

Of that data, he expressed that only about 15 per cent will be irrigated, but with the Parnassus Irrigation System and Essex Valley, the Southern Plains Agricultural Development Project, about 20 per cent of Jamaica’s arable land will be irrigated.

However, Holness stated that this percentage is still not enough while outlining that measures will be put in place to propel the agricultural sector.

“It means you can only exercise some degree of control over your agriculture in only 15 per cent of your arable land; the rest of the lands would be subject to the change in weather, so the output, the productivity that you would like to get, would be subject to climate change and weather issues, and that’s not good for sustained agriculture. And so the strategy of the government will be to make our agriculture resilient and sustainable; let’s build infrastructure that mitigates climate, weather and other factors,” he said.

Additionally, the prime minister revealed the Pedro Plains, another big irrigation project, which is well on its way.

“When this is completed, we would have moved our irrigated lands to being about 50 per cent of our arable lands. Can you imagine the fundamental shift in our agricultural productivity when we are able to mitigate and control for weather impacts on our arable land? That’s fundamental,” he added.

These achievements not celebrated by voters

Despite the tremendous impact of having a sustainable agricultural sector, Holness said this is not the kind of achievement that voters celebrate. 

“Unfortunately, a lot of voters don’t know this; some don’t understand it, but the farmers who have been practising mulching for decades in southern St Elizabeth, because that is how they mitigated the weather effect. When they have reliable water that is coming from pipes and irrigation systems that they can plan in advance, they will see the transformation.

“And what the average voter will see is far more foodstuffs on their supermarket shelves and in the Coronation Market and all over, but what they will also see is a stability in price.  So this will have an impact on the cost of food. So yes, you, the average voter listening to me, who say, How will this benefit me? It will not only benefit the little farmers in Parnassus. No, my friend, it is these kinds of investments that benefit you,” Holness added.

He highlighted that the cost of living crisis that Jamaica faces, part of it is an agriculture crisis.

“It is precisely because we have low productivity in agriculture that we have a food price crisis. And until our voters make that connection to inform how they vote, they will not get good agricultural policies. What they will satisfy with are easy but destructive policies that say, well, we should put a tax on imported goods. Rather than seeking to address the fundamental issues, which are more difficult and which are not going to happen in one election cycle, as [the Parnassus Irrigation System] did not happen in one election cycle.”

Holness stated that the irrigation project started in 2019 and reflects not just a promise but his administration delivering on a commitment.

“The Parnassus Agro Park is an important step forward in our ongoing mission to transform agriculture in Jamaica. Today, we not only celebrate the commissioning of critical agricultural infrastructure, but we also recognise its role in my government’s pivot towards inclusive, sustainable, and climate-resilient growth in rural agriculture.

“Today, we are planting the seeds of resilience and opportunity. This agro park represents a future where Jamaican farmers are empowered, communities are revitalised, and our country moves closer to a competitive and climate-resilient agriculture sector. Agriculture is not just a pillar of our economy; it is the foundation of our national food security,” Honess said.