The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining has earmarked $90 million to provide support to the nation’s farmers that are being impacted by the current drought conditions.
The money will be used to truck water, provide drip irrigation and other assistance for crop and livestock farmers as part of the Ministry’s drought mitigation programme.
Portfolio Minister, Floyd Green, provided an update during the $106-million contract signing ceremony for the Agro-Investment Corporation Irrigation Transmission Force Main and Equipping Project at Ebony Park, Clarendon, at the Ministry’s Hope Gardens offices in St. Andrew on April 11.
He said the $90 million incorporates the $60-million support that was announced by Prime Minister Andrew Holness recently in the House of Representatives.
Minister Green said $24 million will be used to truck water to crop and livestock farmers in several parishes.
“We are also expanding the parishes of focus, so we would have started with Clarendon, St. Elizabeth, Manchester and Trelawny. Based on all our information, we are incorporating now Westmoreland, Portland and St. Ann into our drought mitigation programme,” he said.
Additionally, he indicated that $58 million will be used to boost the resiliency of farmers through the provision of irrigation kits, storage tanks and drip hoses.
“So ultimately, when rain does come, when water does come, our farmers will be able to harvest and to use more efficiently in periods of drought,” he said.
Furthermore, he stated that $8 million will go towards the establishment of catchment areas for farmers.
He added that the Ministry will provide assistance to farmers to establish catchment areas once they have identified the space.
The Minister urged farmers to contact their RADA offices and the National Irrigation Commission (NIC) for the assistance.
“The parishes across our RADA network and also NIC should already have some allocations and we are going to be doing some more during the course of this week into next week… . We will stand with you during these times,” he said.
He commended the nation’s farmers for their strength and resilience, in spite of the dry conditions they experienced last year and are currently experiencing.
Source: JIS