Discovery Bauxite to provide water storage ponds for farmers

Farmers in and around Muir House district in northwest St Ann are set to benefit from a 2.5-million-gallon capacity storage pond to be built by Discovery Bauxite in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture and Mining, and the Rural Agricultural Development Agency (RADA).

Ground was broken for the project on April 10, in the presence of government officials and other stakeholders.

Franklin Witter, minister of state in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, praised the bauxite company’s role in the initiative, saying the water storage facility would provide a significant fillip to agriculture in the area.

“I represent communities in a constituency (St Elizabeth South East) similar to this one where farming is very important and the provision of water is critical to the farmers so I know the importance of this project and the bauxite company must be commended for its role in having it constructed,” Witter stated.

The groundbreaking ceremony was also attended by Krystal Lee, minister of state in the Ministry of Health, and member of Parliament for St Ann North Western; Councillor Kim Brown Lawrence of the St Ann Municipal Corporation; Kirk Evans, deputy general manager of RADA; and Kent Skyers, superintendent of public and community relations at Discovery Bauxite.

Lee said Discovery Bauxite’s contribution was both timely and necessary, and was expected to make a substantial positive difference to farming in an area frequently afflicted by prolonged drought.

She added that the company had responded promptly to requests from farmers and the ministry to undertake the project, noting that “we are most appreciative of the company’s input”.

INFRASTRUCTURAL WORK

Discovery Bauxite is currently carrying out infrastructural work at the site, which is located on land restored following the completion of bauxite mining activities several years ago.

Providing background to the initiative, Skyers said Discovery Bauxite has long been engaged in delivering water solutions in communities such as Muir House, many of which lie within bauxite-mining areas.

He noted that the company has so far constructed four three-million-gallon storage facilities to service 120 greenhouses across four district clusters: Nine Miles, Watt Town, Tobolski and Burnt Ground.

“We support the push by Agriculture and Mining Minister Honourable Floyd Green to utilise mined-out lands across the industry for water harvesting,” he said.

Skyers added that the minister met with farmers at the Muir House site in 2024 to discuss the proposal for the pond, after which the location was identified and selected jointly by the company and community residents.

“We understand the importance of the project to the improvement of the livelihood of the residents as the storage facility will be a game-changer for the farmers. They will be able to effectively plan their production activities with a new and reliable water supply.”

He also said Discovery Bauxite intends to be an active participant in plans to build five additional ponds this year on reclaimed lands, following the model of the Muir House project.

The pond is expected to serve farmers from Muir House, Woodland, Buxton Button, Jacob, Sheep Pen, Middle Buxton and Kensington, where producers currently operate open fields and rear livestock.

Farmers attending the ceremony welcomed the development as the fulfilment of a long-standing aspiration.

“We have suffered from long periods of drought, and this area in particular is known as a dust bowl during the dry months,” said Kemaro McAnuff of Muir House.

“I was cautious but when I saw the shovels and the crane on the ground to start the work, I knew that the programme is blessed, and we are grateful to the bauxite company and the government for this valuable contribution.”