Despite consistent efforts by many Jamaicans to develop new products fit for the local and international markets, their efforts are stymied by the lack of production facilities and the absence of critical resources needed to move into large-scale production.
A representative at the Scientific Research Council (SRC) told the Freedom Come Rain newspaper that it has been seeing a range of locally developed innovations as more Jamaicans are exploring new ways to turn their ideas into products.
The Council, which is Jamaica’s principal public sector agency responsible for fostering and coordinating scientific research and promoting their application, says many of the products being developed are new to the Jamaican market or have not previously been widely popular.
According to the SRC, the high level of interest in product development reflects a growing entrepreneurial mindset among Jamaicans, with some people moving away from traditional nine-to-five employment and looking towards creating their own businesses.
Among the products being brought forward are curry chicken soup, sweet potato and yam punches, uniquely blended beverages and other variations of familiar foods.
Pointing out that Jamaica is not always able to facilitate the production of some of the more ambitious ideas, the SRC indicated that larger manufacturers may have the facilities and capacity to produce these innovations on a larger scale, but some are not always willing to work with micro, small and medium-sized enterprises.
This can leave some entrepreneurs with products that have been developed but are difficult to produce in the quantities needed to reach a wider market.
The SRC says that local innovators have remained focused on developing new ways to utilise familiar Jamaican foods and beverages with the aim of generating new products from them.
But with access to large-scale manufacturing remaining a challenge, the next step for some entrepreneurs may be finding the resources and industry partners needed to turn those ideas into viable businesses.
