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80 farmers to benefit from project

Published:Saturday | October 23, 2010 | 12:00 AM
Dr André Gordon (left), chairman, Competitiveness Company, makes a point about the Diversity to Compete project, after it was launched at the Mount Nebo Baptist Church in Benbow, St Catherine, on Thursday. Listening keenly are Clifton McLeod (second left), farmer; Helen Jenkinson, chargé d'affaires European Union Delegation; Vitus Evans, president Jamaica Exporters Association; Gregory Mair, MP, North East St Catherine, and Blossom Housen, fDr André Gordon (left), chairman, Competitiveness Company, makes a point about the Diversity to Compete project, after it was launched at the Mount Nebo Baptist Church in Benbow, St Catherine, on Thursday. Listening keenly are Clifton McLeod (second left), farmer; Helen Jenkinson, chargé d'affaires European Union Delegation; Vitus Evans, president Jamaica Exporters Association; Gregory Mair, MP, North East St Catherine, and Blossom Housen, farmer. - Karen Sudu Photoarmer. - Karen Sudu Photo

Karen Sudu, Gleaner Writer

BENBOW, Guy's Hill: Eighty farmers in seven north St Catherine communities have been selected as beneficiaries of a $43-million project funded under the European Union Banana Support Programme (EUBSP), supported by the Constituency Development Fund .

The 'Diversify to Compete" project, which is being implemented by the Competitiveness Company, focuses on improving production and marketing strategies of participating farmers once dependent on bananas.

selected communities

It also seeks to improve the standard of living in the selected communities through new and expanded production activities, including the construction of five greenhouses on selected farms.

The cultivators, who hail from Top Mountain, Seafield, Ragsville, Middlesex, Pear Tree Grove, Springfield and Golden Grove, are already benefiting from the project slated to end in May 2011 through technical training and demonstration in best practices.

Additionally, 56 of those selected have received planting materials including turmeric (a member of the ginger family) pumpkin, yams and string beans.

In light of the recent devastation to the agricultural sector caused by Tropical Storm Nicole, Andrew Carty, manager, Rural Agricultural Development Authority, St Catherine, who represented the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries at the official launch alluded to the aptness of the venture.

Continuing against the background that agriculture has been placed on the backburner for far too long, he pointed out that the sector was not only critical in feeding the population, but was also a significant contributor to the economy.

"Last year, the country's farmers created approximately $106 billion of value, an increase of 12 per cent over 2008, producing 490,000 tonnes of food, the highest since 2003," Carty told the audience at Mount Nebo Baptist Church in Benbow, St Catherine.

In the meantime, Helen Jenkinson, chargé d' affaires of the Delegation of the European Union to Jamaica, who gave full backing to the project, indicated that the sector was poised to receive more funds.

new funds

"The European Commission will be allocating new funds this year to the major banana-producing countries, which include Jamaica. The total amount available to all countries over the period 2010-2013 will be approximately J$1.7 billion.

Gregory Mair, North East St Catherine member of parliament, was vigilant in securing the project awarded in December 2008 under the Rural Diversification Programme component of the EUBSP.