VOL. 27 NO. 4 AUGUST 2017 FREE COPY WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.

COM

All In Place
for Denbigh
Show 2017
P
By Judith A. Hunter, JIS
resident of the Jamaica Agricultural
Society (JAS) and Chairman of the
Denbigh Planning Committee, Norman
Grant, says that all is in place for the
staging on 65th Annual Denbigh Agri-
cultural, Industrial and Food Show.
In relation to vector control, Mr.
Grant told JIS News that a fish pond,
which was a breeding ground for mos-
quito, has been filled in.
Waste water from restaurants and
other food areas will be channelled into
tanks and removed from the grounds
two times per day.
Speaking to JIS News during an in-
terview on Thursday (July 27), Grant
said issues raised by the Clarendon
Health Department regarding the state
of the showground have been addressed.
In outlining the steps taken, he in-

ALL EYES ON THE CHICKS:

formed that a food handlers clinic was
held on July 13 targeting individuals,
who will deal with food at all levels.

Agriculture grew
President and CEO of the Jamaica Broilers Group, Christopher Levy; Minister of Agriculture Karl Samuda and
President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, Norman Grant having a moment of fun with the Barred Rock Chicks, See Denbigh Show
newly distributed by Hi-Pro at the official launch of Denbigh Show 2017 held on the lawns of the Hi-Pro Super-
feature: pages 10-14
centre, White Hall in June.

by 13.5% in 2016
T
By Patrick Maitland
Editor-The Agriculturalist
-
he Agriculture, Forestry and Fishing industry increased by 13.5 percent during 2016.
The improved output was facilitated by more favorable weather conditions, com-
pared to the previous year in which island-wide drought conditions negatively affected
production by lowering crop yields and curtailing planting activities. Continued on page 5
2 THE AGRICULTURALIST AUGUST 2017 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM

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Preserving the best land for Jamaican farming!
A griculture is one of the strategic pri-
ority areas of the Vision 2030 Ja-
maica a national development plan
launched by the government in 2009.
The overall vision includes revital-
izing rural communities, creating
stronger linkages with other sectors and
repositioning the sector in the national
economy to focus on the production of
high-value commodities and contribute
to national food security.
Despite several areas of positive
contributions to the economy, Jamaica is
facing an uphill battle of meeting its Vi-
sion 2030 Jamaica food security objec-
tives.
In simple language: if the economic
indicators as supplied by the Planning
Institute of Jamaica, as well as the Sta-
tistical Institute of Jamaica, are correct,
we will not be able to produce enough
food to feed ourselves or for the export
market.
Ag appointments & movements
The opinions expressed in this newspaper, except for the above, do not necessarily reflect the views of The Agriculturalist and its publishers. Please send your com-
ments or suggestions to editor@theagriculturalist.com. Responses should be no longer than 400 words. Not all articles will be published.
JAS St. Catherine president: For-
mer executive director of the Rural Agri-
cultural Development Authority (RADA)
Lenworth Fulton was recently elected
president of the St Catherine Association
of JAS Branch Society.
Byron H. Lawrence, a trained Jamaican Dairy Board following
agronomist and senior civil servant, the controversial departure of Hugh
was appointed acting CEO of the Graham in May 2017.
EDITORIAL
Save our farms!
The situation is worrisome because
almost a decade since the 21-year
plan was announced, agricul-
tures contribution to the is-
lands GDP grew by a flimsy
one percent, while the aver-
age was less than 6 percent
and valued at US$631,000.
Jamaica is a net importer
of various consumer foods,
which includes a number of es-
sential food items such as meat
and milk that are costing an
annual average of US$905
million. On the converse, the
average annual export of lo-
cally-produced food and other
agricultural products are now val-
ued at an embarrassing US$217
million.
The situation is getting worst
as government and private landowners
are shifting some of the islands best and
most prized farmlands out of agriculture
RADA Chair Resigned: Genille
Attalla, a Trelawny-based business-
woman who becomes the second woman
to hold the post of chairman of the board
of directors for the Rural Agricultural De-
velopment Authority resigned last month.
at an annual average of just over
1,000 hectares. Housing and
other infrastructural devel-
opments are now shame-
fully sitting on fertile and
irrigated soils that were
once reserved for agricul-
ture.
In our opinion, Jamaicas
food security plan could be
derailed because the islands
farmlands are being lost at an av-
erage 9,722 hectares per decade
with some 379,140 hectares, or 63
percent, disappearing during the
past 48 years, according to the
Agriculture Census of 2007.
The loss of arable farmlands is the
most alarming threat to the existence of
a viable Jamaican agriculture, the re-
vitalization of rural communities and the
nations food security as outlined in the
Vision 2030 plan.
Obituaries Notice
Submitted by
Webster W. Mc Pherson, President
T
CASE Alumni Association
he following nine-teen prominent
members of the Ole Farmers Frater-
nity died over the past 12 months:
Audrey Gabbidon, graduting class
1977; Cornelius Con Hutchinson, 1952;
Carol Silage Jackson, 1972; Hilkiah Al-
lison, 1951; Errol Morro Morrison,
1985; Maurice Afflick, 1965; Michael
Munch McFarlane, 1976; Carlton C-
Lew Lewis, 1975; Ronald Bull D Dun-
can, 1964; Raymond Rameses Reid,
1966;
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press releases
and photos
editor@theagriculturalist.com
or Call 923-7471
AUGUST 2017 THE AGRICULTURALIST 3
But the problem can perhaps be
solved if the issues confronting agricul-
ture and the disincentives facing the Vi-
sion 2030 plans were immediately
addressed.
First, the government must stop vio-
lating its land use policy of preserving
the best land for farming.
Over the past 30 years, government
agencies in Jamaica have been hastily is-
suing land approvals and change of use
notices, converting thousands of
acreages into various real estate devel-
opments.
Any plans to package agriculture on
small acreages will not work. In our en-
vironment, Jamaica needs an extensive
area of arable land to produce food effi-
ciently.
Jamaican farmers will continue to be
the high cost and uneconomical produc-
ers if we continue to take our best land
out of farming.
Lenchester Hutchie Hutchinson, 1970;
Wilbert Mr. Pre Ricketts, 1976; Earl
Busha Harriott, 1964; Michael Sealy,
1977; James Munroe, 1960; Benjamin
Morgan, 1986; Sandra Sankey-Kitson,
1982; Brenda McKenzie-Tucker, 1980 and
Winston Armstrong, 1955.
Publisher & Editor:
Patrick Maitland
Consulting Editors:
Vincent Wright, Jairzenho Bailey
Produced & Published by:
Agri Life Foundation Ltd
AMC Complex,
188 Spanish Town Road,
Kingston 11, Jamaica, W.I.
Tel: (876) 923-7471 923-7428
agriculturalist@gmail.com
editor@theagriculturalist.com
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4 THE AGRICULTURALIST AUGUST 2017 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
 Commodity Boards
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Merger Lagged Behind
F ive years after the late Minister of
Agriculture Roger Clarke announced
the merger of the four agricultural entities
-- the coconut, coffee and cocoa boards and
the ministrys export division -- into a sin-
gle agency, the process is yet to be com-
pleted.
Consultant Dr. Garnet Brown, who
has been leading the transformation
process since 2012, promised in January
2016 that the merger would be finalised by
the end of that year. Everything is pro-
gressing steadily (and) it is my view that
before this year is out, it shall be in place,"
Brown said back then.
But in May earlier this year, then
newly appointed Minister, Karl Samuda,
while addressing the Coconut Growers An-
nual General Meeting at the Jamaica Con-
ference Centre, announced that all the
commodity boards under his portfolio
would be dissolved. These boards, Samuda
revealed, would fall under the ambit of the
recently enacted Jamaica Agricultural
Commodities Regulatory Authority
(JACRA) and that all the necessary prepa-
rations would be in place to allow for the
new body to be inaugurated no later than
July 1, 2017.
Samuda said that the primary objec-
tive of the merger is not to punish com-
modity boards. "It is not to impose
restrictions on commodity boards, and it is
not out of suspicions of the activities of
commodity boards. (But) It is in keeping
with international standards and trends to
put into the hands of key stakeholders their
destiny," Samuda argued.
However, while agriculture stakehold-
ers and commodity farmers are in support
of the merger, they are not pleased with the
long, drawn-out time the process has been
taking to complete.
Agriculture grew by 13.5% in 2016
Continued from page 1
According to the Planning Institute of
Jamaica's (PIOJ), the Agriculture Produc-
tion Index showed that gross output for tra-
ditional export crops grew by almost 2
percent for the sub-industries, including
export crops, other crops, animal farming,
fishing and post-harvest activities. Within
this sub-industry, banana production im-
proved by 7 percent, coffee by almost 32
percent and cocoa by 14 percent.
However, sugar cane production fell
by 28.3 percent and citrus by .2 percent.
Earnings from traditional export crops
were US$33.2 million compared with
US$27.6 million in 2015.
The PIOJ attributes the increase in the
value of exports mainly to improved earn-
ings from coffee (up almost 20 percent to
US$27.6 million).
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AUGUST 2017 THE AGRICULTURALIST 5
Dr. Garnet Brown
Consultant - Ministry of Industry,
Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries
Dr. Brown explained that while the
Act establishing JACRA was passed and
signed into law several months ago, the
Ministry was waiting on the office of the
Chief Parliamentary Council to approve
the regulatory and operational procedures.
"We are very eager to have JACRA in
operations, but we cannot move without all
the legal proceedings in place. Hopefully,
the process should be completed by the end
of this calendar year," the consultant
added.
President of the Jamaica Agricultural
Society, Norman Grant noted that the slow
pace of forming the new entity is affecting
investment and other business opportuni-
ties in the respective commodities. I am
hoping the process of merging the boards
will be completed soon as promised,
Grant said.
The decision to merge the commodity
boards flowed from an agriculture min-
istry's sectoral study commissioned back
in May 2009 against the background of
low production and productivity, due
mainly to inefficient marketing arrange-
ments.
Earnings from pimento, citrus and
cocoa also increased. Pimento increased
by 5.9 percent to US$2.5 million, citrus by
30.3 percent to US$1.8 million, while
cocoa exports improved by 64.6 percent to
US$0.9 million.
However, the PIOJ reports identify the
"high incidence of pest and diseases exac-
erbated by the arid conditions as among
the major constraints to production during
2016."
The lack of proper irrigation systems
in many vegetables producing area; prae-
dial larceny; the high cost of inputs, fertil-
izers and farm labour; lack of adequate
access to sufficiently good quality
seedlings and other planting materials and
damages to farm roads which limits vehic-
ular access in many communities, were
also listed.
6 THE AGRICULTURALIST AUGUST 2017 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
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Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Karl Samuda (2nd
right), in dialogue with (from left) corporate affairs manager, Dr. Keith Amiel; chief
operations officer, Mathew Lyn and director, Lori-Ann Lyn, all of the CB Group.
The occasion was the launch of the CB Groups Imagination Farms, held at the
Hope Zoo on Tuesday, July 18, 2017. The company unveiled its fresh produce
Samuda welcomes CB Groups
brand Homegrown at the launch, which involves the growing of sweet corns,
onions and scotch bonnet peppers.
entry into the fresh produce market
M inister of Industry, Commerce, Agri-
culture and Fisheries, Karl Samuda,
has welcomed the entry of CB Group into the
fresh produce market in Jamaica through its
new company, Imagination Farms.
Speaking at the launch of the new com-
pany at Hope Zoo on Tuesday, July 18, 2017,
the agriculture minister applauded the CB
Group on its bold initiative.
What we are witnessing here tonight
has not taken place just over a year or two, it
has been planned carefully over the years. I
believe that it is only through planning and
preparation that you are really going to ex-
perience these kinds of successful and posi-
tive results, the Minister stated.
According to Minister Samuda, more
science needs to be put into agriculture so
that more investors can be encouraged to go
into agriculture.
Earlier, enough emphasis was not
being placed on investment in agriculture be-
cause we have had such a hard time in con-
Sweet taste for bee farmers
vincing people that agriculture is a viable and
lucrative industry. Today, it is made a lot
L ife should get a lot sweeter for more than
200 bee farmers in the western parishes
who now have access to a new $27-million
state-of-the-art honey-extraction and bottling
facility the first of its kind in Jamaica.
It will directly benefit 36 bee farmers
who are registered members of the Hanover
Bee Farmers Cooperative Society and 190
bee farmers from the adjoining parishes.
The 1,500 square-foot facility was officially
handed over to the cooperative society by the
Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) dur-
ing a recent ceremony held at its location at
the old Rural Agricultural and Development
Authority (RADA) Parish Office Complex
in Lucea, Hanover.
Life should get a lot sweeter for more
than 200 bee farmers in the western parishes
who now have access to a new $27-million
state-of-the-art honey-extraction and bottling
facility the first of its kind in Jamaica.
AUGUST 2017 THE AGRICULTURALIST 7
easier because of the imperatives of knowing
that we must produce enough for our re-
quirements and more in order to export what
we produce and earn foreign exchange, he
said.
Samuda further explained that it was
this kind of strategy and vision that was now
driving agriculture and attracting people who
were historically involved in the distributive
trade. Many distributors like the CB Group
are now investing in agriculture, which is the
sector offering the greatest opportunity for
economic growth in Jamaica.
CB Groups entry into the fresh food
market in Jamaica comes after years of re-
search specifically targeting crops whose
growth can create at least one of two types
of major impact -import substitution and
strong growth in export.
The Imagination Farms line of fresh
produce - onions, sweet corn and scotch bon-
net peppers -are the first expected to be on
the shelves of supermarkets by next month
and the company is encouraging all Ja-
maicans to buy local produce.
By improving market access and in-
creasing their earnings from the sale of
honey, bee farmers in Hanover and the ad-
joining parishes of St. James, Trelawny and
Westmoreland should enhance their liveli-
hood significantly from the use of the plant.
It will directly benefit 36 bee farmers
who are registered members of the Hanover
Bee Farmers Cooperative Society and 190
bee farmers from the adjoining parishes.
The 1,500 square-foot facility was offi-
cially handed over to the cooperative society
by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund
(JSIF) during a recent ceremony held at its
location at the old Rural Agricultural and
Development Authority (RADA) Parish Of-
fice Complex in Lucea, Hanover.
It has been outfitted with modern equip-
ment, including frame honey extractors,
stainless-steel storage tanks, settling tanks
and honey strainers.
8 THE AGRICULTURALIST AUGUST 2017
Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) Chief Executive Officer (CEO),
Peter Thompson (left), and President of the University of Technology (UTech),
Professor Stephen Vasciannie, sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to
deliver a postgraduate programme in rural development, at the institutions Old
UTech and RADA Sign MOU to Deliver
Hope Road offices in St. Andrew on July 11. -Photo: Rudranath Fraser
Masters Program in Rural Development
T he University of Technology (UTech) and
the Rural Agricultural Development Au-
thority (RADA) have signed a memorandum
of understanding (MOU) to deliver a post-
graduate degree programme geared towards
the economic development of rural communi-
ties.
The Master of Science in Integrated Rural
Development is expected to begin next year
and is currently being developed by the Fac-
ulty of the Built Environment (FOBE) at
UTech, to be officially authorised by the uni-
versitys academic board.
Among the objectives of the programme
is to promote rural entrepreneurship as the en-
gine of growth, as well as to increase the
Farm loans increased by 55%
knowledge and technical skills of persons
working in public and private sectors in areas
that are intricately linked to rural development.
S ome $924.7 million in local currency
loans were allocated to the agricultural
sector in 2016, which represents a 54 per-
cent increase over the 2015 allocation of
$425.3 million.
According to the recently published
Planning Institute of Jamaica's Social and
Economic Survey, the number of loans dis-
bursed in 2016 totaled 1,898, relative to 961
in 2015. The increase in funds loaned was
mainly attributed to the greater uptake of
loans for the poultry subindustry.
The Development Bank of Jamaica
(DBJ), through the Peoples Cooperative
(PC) Bank and other Approved Financial
Institutions (AFIs), provided loans for po-
tentially viable agriculture and agro-pro-
cessing projects.
The uptake of loans for Agro-Process-
ing activities moved to $90 million from
$77 million in the previous year. For other
agricultural projects, there were increases in
the uptake of loans for livestock and the
micro financing industry which outweighed
the declines recorded for the categories
Crops and Farm Infrastructure & Vehicle.
Loans for the category Crops declined
from $103 million in 2015 to $70.7 million
while loans for Farm Infrastructure & Vehi-
cle decreased from $22.5 million in 2015 to
$20.3 million. The uptake of loans for Live-
stock was $599.6 million compared with
$147.2 million in 2015. This was due
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Both entities are collaborating to tap into
the potential of rural communities for national
development, as these areas remain largely un-
exploited across the Caribbean region.
At the signing ceremony held at UTechs
Old Hope Road campus in St. Andrew on July
11, RADAs Chief Executive Officer (CEO),
Peter Thompson, said the programme of study
will find practical solutions to challenges im-
pacting rural communities.
Mr. Thompson also expects that capacity-
building and knowledge-sharing will be de-
rived from the partnership, as well as the
exploration of other areas of cooperation, such
as the release of joint publications. We expect
other universities to come on board, be it local
or international, to solve some of the problems
we have in rural communities, he noted.
mainly to the increased investment in the
Poultry sub-industry which moved to
$528.2 million from $114.8 million in
2015, according to the PIOJ reports.
The wholesale lending rate to AFIs and
the rate at which farmers accessed these
loans varied based on the line of credit.
These lending rates remained constant for
the first ten months of the year but in some
cases were adjusted downwards in the re-
maining two months of the year.
For 2016, the lowest interest rate of 5.0
per cent offered by the Development Bank
of Jamaica, in collaboration with the
MOAF, was made available through the
Dairy Revitalization line of credit to dairy
farmers. The CDB/MOAF11 line of credit
was also offered at a 5.0 per cent interest
rate. The PetroCaribe/DBJ line of credit tar-
geted projects from the Micro Finance In-
stitutions and attracted higher levels of
interest rates based on the limited collateral
requirements.
Foreign currency loans were made
available at a rate of 9.0 per cent. The total
stock of agricultural loans outstanding to the
DBJ at the end of 2016 was $3,445.9 mil-
lion relative to $4289.7 million at the end of
2015. Loans issued were $16,506.4 million
and the total repaid $13,060.4 million. The
stock of loans outstanding at Commercial
Banks was $2,407.1 million compared with
$2,992.2 million at the end of 2015.
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM AUGUST 2017 THE AGRICULTURALIST 9

Introducing the

BARRED
ROCK
B A C K YA R D H E N

The Barred Rock is a traditional poultry breed, similar to an old time Jamaican
favourite - Dominic chicken. This breed carries some of the better farm chicken
qualities including docility, hardiness, and broodiness. Barred Rocks live quite
long and are prized for their egg-laying abilities and meat. The trademark
feature of the Barred Rock Hen is its bright red face, red earlobes and beak
tipped in bright yellow. They are friendly birds that get along with people and
make excellent backyard chickens!

Barred Rock Laying Hen Stats:

Hen Weight - 3 Kg Each Space per bird - 2.5 Sq Ft
# Of Eggs - 240 Eggs / Year Temperament - Docile

B u y a L a y e r M a n a g e m e n t a n d Feeding
Guide & learn how to raise your Layer
Chicks.
Contact your local Hi-Pro Farmstore or
Hi-Pro Ace Supercentre to ORDER TODAY!
10 THE AGRICULTURALIST AUGUST 2017
Twelve young ladies will be vying for the National Farm Queen title atthe annual three-day Denbigh Agricultural & Industrial Show being held on August 4-6, at Den-
bigh Showgrounds, May Pen, Clarendon. The coronation of the National Farm Queen is the main entertainment event on the first day of the show. The National Farm
Congratulations on this highly acclaimed show
Queen epitomizes grace, personality, intelligence, the right values, and attitudes all capsulated by agricultural knowledge. She represents the agricultural sector for
one year and therefore must be cognizant of the issues affecting the sector.
I extend best wishes to the Ja-
maica Agricultural Society
(JAS) on the 65th staging of the
Denbigh Agricultural Industrial
and Food Show.
This highly acclaimed show
has commendably earned the dis-
tinction of the oldest, largest, and
most dynamic agricultural show
in the English speaking
Caribbean.
Congratulations on your
tremendous track record that has
shown over 80,000 patrons grac-
ing the Denbigh show grounds for
Endorses agriculture as the backbone of our economy
this event annually.
T his year we proudly celebrate
the 65th staging of the Den-
bigh Agricultural, Industrial and
Food Show.
This show piece event em-
bodies the finest of Jamaican
agriculture, production and cul-
ture as our people show the dedi-
cation and commitment to an area
in which is a significant contribu-
tion to economic growth and
prosperity in the country.
My administration fully en-
dorses agriculture as being the
Tropical Farmers Almanac
backbone of our economy.
That alone reflects the qual-
ity of your programme. Thank
you also for believing, supporting
and helping to sustain the Grow
What You Eat, Eat What You
Grow campaign.
The JAS certainly possess
the dynamism which separates
the ordinary from the extraordi-
nary.
I give special recognition to
the Young Farmers Competition.
It is a delight to see our young
people conceptualizing innova-
tive and cutting edge farming
practices.
Governor General, Jamaica
We are well aware that the
industry plays a strategic role in
the advancement of our global
competiveness. It is critical that
we continue to match our nat-
ural resources with opportu-
nity.
The Denbigh Agricultural
Show has built a reputation of
celebrating the hard work and
skill of primary producers. This
rich and vibrant expo provides
wholesome family entertainment
and showcases the wealth of tal-
By Andrew Holness
ent in Jamaica.
Prime Minister, Jamaica
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Simultaneously, I commend
you on your efforts to promote
women in farming through pro-
grammes such as the National
Champion Woman Farmer and
the National Farm Queen Com-
petitions.
When I examine the excel-
lent reviews coming out of the
Denbigh Agricultural Industrial
and Food Show each year, I am
confident that our nations farm-
ers are delivering high quality
produce.
I salute all the farmers across
By Patrick Allen Jamaica and commend the scores
I extend special commen-
dations to all the stakeholders
on recognizing the importance
of organizing events of this na-
ture.
The Government applauds
The Jamaica Agricultural Soci-
ety (JAS) on being committed
to supporting efficiency in agri-
cultural production.
Your organization has been
instrumental in reminding us of
the wealth in our soil.
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of Jamaicas who continuously
support the industry.
None of your efforts have
gone unnoticed, you are true na-
tion builders
As the Denbigh Agricultural
Industrial and Food Show cele-
brates 65 years, and the JAS re-
flects on its past
accomplishments, may this mo-
ment of history also be used as a
guiding light as you continue to
transform the agricultural land-
scape of Jamaica.
Happy 65th anniversary.
God bless you!
My administration also
thanks all committee members,
farmers, entertainers, and sup-
porters who continued to make
valuable contributions to the
Denbigh Show.
We strongly encourage the
JAS to continue this worthwhile
endeavour and hope that your
intervention will have a far
reaching impact as we work to
make Jamaica a prosperous na-
tion.
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM AUGUST 2017 THE AGRICULTURALIST 11

Denbigh Show epitomises the resilience of our farmers

I t is that time again time to place
renewed focus on the work and
worth of our farmers and the agri-
cultural sector through the staging
of the annual Denbigh Agricultural
Show.
This years show, I believe,
will assume particular significance
against the background of the
weather-related events of 2017 that
have severely impacted the per-
formance of the sector, requiring
millions of dollars of unbudgeted
expenditure by our farmers, the
In this context, the staging of
the Denbigh Show epitomises the
commitment, the will and the re-
silience of our farmers and, indeed,
our country to forge ahead against
all odds and continue to pursue
growth through increased produc-
tion and productivity in the sector.
As we celebrate Denbigh, it is
fitting for the Ministry of Industry,
Commerce, Agriculture and Fish-
eries to reiterate its resolve to con-
tinue to foster and facilitate a
growth environment, which sup-
ports import substitution, export ex-
By Karl Samuda
Minister of Industry, Commerce,
creation of new industries, the pro-
motion of value added and diversi-
fied production, as well as the
expansion of agro-processing, as
critical strategic priorities for the
agricultural sector.
The Denbigh Agricultural
Show is part of what defines who
we are as Jamaicans. I commend
the JAS and its partners for their
dedicated leadership in hosting this
event and I invite all Jamaicans to
join in making this show a memo-
rable and successful one.
In recognition of its value as
not only a national but a regional
and, indeed, an international event,
the Ministry, in collaboration with
the JAS, has initiated specific meas-
ures to improve not only the prod-
uct but the logistics and the
aesthetics of the Denbigh experi-
ence.
In accordance with the theme
of this 65th Anniversary show, we
expect that all the components of
the event will combine to salute and
pay tribute to the farmers of Ja-
maica who are truly nation builders.

Denbigh continues
Ministry, and other stakeholders. Agriculture and Fisheries
pansion, climate adaptation, the

to delight and
inspire Jamaicans
T he annual Denbigh Agri-
cultural Show continues
to delight and inspire Ja-
maicans by showcasing the
best of what our hard-work-
ing farmers have to offer.
The highest commenda-
tion must go to the Jamaica
Agricultural Society, which,
for over 120 years, has been
a driving force in advancing
the interests of generations
of food producers.
I join the nation in
saluting you for your stellar
efforts in helping the indus-
try to thrive and grow de-
spite the many challenges.
My respect and admiration
for members of the largely
rural farming community is
a well-known fact, as I too
was raised in rural parts.
Visiting the Denbigh
showgrounds, viewing the
displays and experiencing
the charged and effervescent
atmosphere that abounds
there, is always a highlight
of our Independence celebra-
tions.
A significant percentage
of our people depend di-
rectly or indirectly on agri-
culture for their livelihoods
while at the same time, the
entire country continues to
rely on those who grow
crops and rear livestock for
their day-to-day needs.
With the national devel-
opment agenda thus tied to
agriculture, the need for con-
By Peter Phillips
Opposition Leader
tinuous improvement in the
management of the sector at
the local, national, and
global levels is a given.
This has taken on
heightened significance in
wake of the steady expan-
sion of international markets
and the revolutions in
agrotechnology which have
combined to create a wealth
of new opportunities for our
local farmers.
I must congratulate the
JAS for serving as a bridge
between the policy-makers,
the NGOs, the business sec-
tor, the scientific research
community, the international
agencies, and the large and
small farmers that make up
your membership.
Let me say how gratify-
ing it has been to witness the
evolution and adaptation of
the Denbigh Expo to suit the
current climate.

Jamaicas #1
Farmers Newspaper
The Agriculturalist
Reaches More Farmers
Book your advert today..923-7471
12 THE AGRICULTURALIST AUGUST 2017
Denbigh Show: Jamaica's most iconic event
By Norman Grant
T
President, JAS &
Denbigh Show Committee
he Denbigh Agricultural Industrial and
Food Show is the oldest, largest and
most dynamic Agricultural Show in the Eng-
lish Speaking Caribbean and the Western
Hemisphere and one of Jamaica's most
iconic events.
It was held for the first time in 1952 and
since then, has reminded us each year of
what we have achieved in agriculture and its
related sectors. The Denbigh Show has en-
joyed success as the Caribbean's premier
agricultural event as it epitomises whole-
some family entertainment and seeks to at-
tract over 80,000 patrons and 1000
exhibitors to the event annually.
The Show has become a benchmark for
showcasing agriculture and is a culmination
of Parish Agricultural Shows island-wide. In
essence, the Denbigh Show is the perfect
platform for patrons and participants to be-
come exposed to modern trends in agricul-
ture and its related industries.
The 65th staging that is scheduled for
August 5-7, 2017, will be held under the
theme: "Grow What We Eat and Eat What
We Grow... A Salute to the Farmers... Nation
Builders" on the Denbigh Showground, will
continue to showcase the work of our
250,000 farmers and fisher folks.
We estimate that the cost to stage this
year's show will be approximately $100 mil-
lion and will generate over $1 billion of eco-
nomic activities for the Jamaican economy
and most importantly of significant benefit
to the commerce of May Pen, Clarendon.
DENBIGH LAUNCH: (l-r) President of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, Norman
Grant, President and CEO of the Jamaica Broilers Group, Christopher Levy, and
President- Jamaica Operations of the Jamaica Broilers Group, Conley Salmon
discuss the produce displayed at the Denbigh 2017 Launch held on the lawns of
the Hi-Pro Supercentre in June.
Patrons will once again be given the op-
portunity to experience; Children and Fam-
ily Village, Denbigh Health and Wellness
Centre, Youth in Agriculture Village,
Tourism Linkages, Denbigh Symposium,
Parish Pavilion Competitions, Livestock
Competitions and Displays. Nightly Enter-
tainment will include the Hi-Pro Denbigh
Gospel Extravaganza, Farm Queen Corona-
tion Show and Digicel Rising Stars. All this
is for a daily entrance fee of $1000.00 for
adults and $400.00 for children.
The JAS and MICAF will use this
years show to continue to salute the farmers
of Jamaica for the remarkable contribution
to the development of the Jamaican Econ-
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
omy noting the sectors over 7 percent con-
tribution to GDP, the increasing of domestic
crop production from 491,000 tonnes when
the Eat Jamaican Campaign was launched in
2003 to record production of 668,000 tonnes
in 2016, the reduction of our importation of
food from US$100 million to $60 million
per annum over the campaign period thus
saving our economy over US$600 million.
Our sector and farmers have helped to
stabilise the Jamaican Economy and in the
fiscal period just ending increased the sec-
tor's contribution to GDP from 6.5 percent
to 7.5 percent. We, therefore, believe that the
time has come to recognise our farmers as
the lifeblood and the backbone of our econ-
omy; thus Denbigh65 focuses on their ster-
ling contribution over the years as we further
celebrate Jamaica's 55th Anniversary as an
independent nation.
On behalf of the Jamaica Agricultural
Society and The Denbigh Show Committee
we would like to thank our partners; Min-
istry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and
Fisheries, Rural Agricultural Development
Authority, the Jamaica 4H Clubs, all spon-
sors, exhibitors, agricultural stakeholders,
patrons including our anticipated overseas
partners, JAS management, staff, members,
Associations of Branch Societies (ABS),
Commodity Boards and agencies for their
continuous support to "The Denbigh Show."
We invite all to be a part of the Den-
bigh Show 2017 experience, as we honour
our farmers and build the sector that will
drive sustained economic growth and food
security, sovereignty and independence for
Jamaica Land We Love.
See you at Denbigh 2017!
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM AUGUST 2017 THE AGRICULTURALIST 13

Livestock takes
centre-stage at
Denbigh
J AS President Norman Grant said all
are in place for the best Denbigh Show
ever. Record number of entries have
been made to the livestock area of the
show and over 1,000 exhibits are ex-
pected in this area making it the largest
number ever in the shows history.
Based on the levels of interest show
in the livestock area the JAS will look to
construct new banes for additional ani-
mals next year. Judging for the livestock
competition will commence on Saturday
CHAMPION GREEN HOUSE FARMER:
August 5 at 9 am while visit to this section will be done by the Minister of Agriculture and
Kent Skyers , Public and Community Relations Superintendent ofNoranda Ja-
the President of the JAS on August 5th. The Governor General on August 6th, while the
maica Bauxite Partners presenting the company's Champion Green House
Prime Minister, the Minister of Agriculture and the President of the JAS on Monday August
Farmer trophy to Lester Mills of Manchester at the 2016 staging of the Den-
7 will inspect the animals during the parade at 11 am.
bigh Agricultural Show. The St Ann based bauxite company have been spon-

Ten-man delegations from Grand Cayman confirmed

soring this award for the past four years.

T he speaker of the Legislative Assembly of

the Grand Cayman McKeeva Bush and
president of Cayman Islands Agricultural So-
ciety, George Smith will lead a ten-man dele-
gation to the Denbigh Agricultural and
Industrial Show schedule for August 5-7th at
the Denbigh showground May Pen Clarendon.
According to a press release from JAS Presi-
dent Norman Grant the Jamaica Agricultural
Society and Cayman Island Agricultural Soci-
ety (CIAS) are in discussion for the execution
of a Memorandum of Understanding which
seeks to foster closer working relationship with
both farmers organization. The issues will in-
clude trading and the exchanging of informa-
tion to the benefit of the members of each
organization. The agreement could be signed
during the Denbigh show.
Grant also noted that after the Denbigh
Show, the visitors will visit a number of farms
including the farm of the National Champion
who will be announced at the Denbigh Show
on Sunday August 6. The delegation has also
requested to visit livestock farms. The mem-
bers of the delegation include: McKeeva Bush
Speaker of the Legislative Assembly; George
Smith President - Cayman Islands Agricul-
tural Society Charles E. Thompson 1st Vice
President CIAS; William Geoffry Ebanks
2nd Vice President CIAS; Justin Woods
Immediate Past President CIAS; Miguel
Smith Member CIAS; Glenroy Bodden -
Visitor; Jenian Nazareno Wife of 2nd Vice
President; Xander Ebanks Son of 2nd Vice
President and William R.G. Ebanks Son of
2nd Vice President.

Serving the
banana farmers
AIBGA Ripening Rooms
The AIBGAs ripening rooms are located at Pembroke Hall, St. Mary; Kensington,
St. James and Fellowship, Portland. We ripen bananas and other fruits.

AIBGAFarm Stores
A leading provider of farm inputs, marked by superior price and quality.

Fellowship, Portland - 913-5630 Reach, Portland

Kensington, St James - 5511784 Gayle, St Mary - 551-1790
Trinity, St Mary - 551-1787; 994-9864

All Island Banana Growers Association

10 South Avenue, Kingston Gardens
Tel: 922-5497 967-3160 Fax: 967-3160
support@aibga.info aibga@cwjamaica.com
www.aibga.info
14 THE AGRICULTURALIST AUGUST 2017 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM AUGUST 2017 THE AGRICULTURALIST 15

BEE-KEEPING
EQUIPMENT:
J.C. Hutchinson (2nd l), Minis-
ter without Portfolio in the
Ministry of Industry, Com-
merce, Agriculture and Fish-
eries (MICAF), hands
bee-keeping box to Nicole
Johnston of the St. Elizabeth
Bee Farmers Association dur-
ing a handover of bee-keep-
ing equipment by MICAF
valued at over $9.266m to 300
bee-keepers located island-
wide on July 27 at Bodles Re-
search Station in St.
Catherine. Others from left
are Percival Shaw, Acting
Principal Director at the Rural
Agricultural Development Au-
thority, and Dr. Lisa Myers-
Morgan, Principal Research
Director at Bodles Research
Station.

Th Tropical
The Tr
Tro
Trop
Tropi
Tropic
Tropica
T F
Fa
Far
Farm
Farme
Farmer
Farmers
Farmers

ALMA
AL
ALM
ALMANAC
ALMANA
ALMAN
2017
20 Edition
201 Editio
Editi
Edit
Edi
Ed
E Eve
Ev
Everyda
Everyd
Everyday
Ever
Every
E G
Gui
Guid
Guide
Gu To T Successful
S
Su
Suc
Succ
Succe
Succes
Success
Successf
Successfu F
Fa
Far
Farm
Farmi
Farmin
Farming
Farming $
$9
$90
$900

INTEGRATED DISASTER RISK MANUAL:

Former managing director, Jamaica Investment Fund (JSIF), Scarlette Gillings, pres-
ents permanent secretary in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and
Fisheries, Donovan Stanberry, with a copy of the Integrated Disaster Risk Manual, at
the Symposium of the Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI), held at the Mona

Regulations For
Visitors & Conference Centre (UWI), Kingston, on Thursday, July 27, 2017.
Focus
Fo
Focu
Foc
Lightbourne said that a systematic ap-

Hemp Industry
proach is being taken to the hemp industrys Health
H and
He
Hea
Heal
Healt a Wealth
an W
We
Wea
Weal
Wealt
establishment in Jamaica, relative to that for
marijuana (ganja), because hemp that is

By 2018
with
w Miracle
wit
wi Miracl
Mirac
Mira
Mir
Mi
M
Plants
Plants
Plant
Plan
Pla
Pl
P

Farmers Almanac
planted too close to ganja breeds the possi-

Get your copy of

bility of cross pollination.

C
KINGSTON, (JIS):
hairperson of the Cannabis Licensing
Authority (CLA), Hyacinth Lightbourne
says regulations being developed to guide a
legal hemp industry in Jamaica should be in
place next year. She made the disclosure dur-
ing a session on medical marijuana at the Ja-
maica 55 Diaspora Conference on Tuesday
(July 25) at the Jamaica Conference Centre,
Downtown Kingston.
In this regard, she said advice is being
sought in relation to minimising this possibil-
ity and whether or not it has to be done
specifically indoors.
Unfortunately, we live on a small island
that (can be impacted by) hurricanes; so the
possibility of cross pollination is high, she
AMC Complex,
188 Spanish Town Road, Kingston 11, Jamaica, W.I.
Tel: (876) 923-7471 923-7428
said. Lightbourne also said measures are
being implemented to ensure that small farm-
ers are included in the discussions going for-
editor@theagriculturalist.com
ward.
1 -The Agri- August 2017 -- 1-16 pages .qxp_The Agri page -1-2 8/3/17 1:47 AM Page 16

16 THE AGRICULTURALIST AUGUST 2017 AUGUST 2017 THE AGRICULTURALIST 17

J amaica Dairy
Development B oard
J amaica Dairy
Development B oard

Salute
to Dairy Sector
Stakeholders on
World Milk Day
T
he Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. The success of the Dairy Industry is being facilitated by the consistent
Karl Samuda, CD, MP, and the Chairman of the Jamaica Dairy efforts of these our vital partners, who continue to work for the
Development Board (JDDB), Mr. Donald Elvey, on behalf of the Board sustainable development of the Jamaican Dairy Industry, the agricul
of Directors of the JDDB, take this opportunity to salute all stakeholders tural sector and the economy of Jamaica as a whole.
of the Dairy Sector as we observe World Milk Day, Thursday
June 1, 2017. In observing World Milk Day 2017, the focus will be on improving the
nutritional levels of our Jamaican children. With this in mind, several
Our Dairy Sector stakeholders continue to perform a critical role in the of our partners will today embark on activities to promote milk among
revitalisation of the Jamaican Dairy Industry as we pursue the mission to children in primary schools across the country.
achieve the goal of increasing local milk production to 20 million litres by
the year 2020. Among these important sector stakeholders are: This initiative builds on the foundations laid by the previous activities
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18 THE AGRICULTURALIST AUGUST 2017
Financial Repositioning of the JAS
T he Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS)
celebrates 122 years of service to the
Farmers of Jamaica.
For the Year Ended March 31, 2017 the
JAS generated income of $104, 294,826
compared with $96,227,454 an increase in
income of 8.3 percent or $8 million.
The Societys Net Surplus on operating
activities after (financial cost of $3,789,641)
was $2,599,613 compared to a loss of
$8,122,391 in prior year which reflects a
turn- around of over $10 million.
This strong financial performance was driven
by increase in the surplus from self-financ-
ing activities which saw the surplus increase
from $1,640,789 in 2016 to $9,082,861 in
2017, an increase of 462 percent.
This main profit centers were Rental of
Properties , The Denbigh Agricultural , In-
dustrial and Food Show and the expansion of
the JAS farm store activities under the JAS-
CEL brand. The rental income was approxi-
mately $6 million, with Compton House
Manchester contributing $3.2 million, Car
Park at Sutton Street $1.5 million and Office
space at 67 Church Street $1.2 million.
The JASCEL now operate a farm store
and garden center which sells input to our
customers and offer to paid up registered
members/farmers a 5 percent discount. The
plan is to establish at least one such opera-
tion in every parish and to-date we have fully
operated farm stores in Kingston at 67
Church Street and Port Antonio Portland.
JASCEL also purchase produce from farm-
ers and for the year ended March 2017 the
JAS purchased the following for supplies to
the produce market.
The total asset base of the Society to-
taled $520.35 million at the end of March
2017 and this is compared with $370 million
when I took office as President in 2003. This
reflects an increase of over 40 percent or a
weighted average growth rate of 3 percent
per annum.
Our nett assets stood at $483 million
which was $4.9 million or approximately 1%
higher than the previous year 2016. There
was also excellent in the performance of our
current and long term liabilities.
Current liabilities of the period under re-
view was $$34 million compared to $43 mil-
lion at the end of 2017, an improvement of
$9 million of 20 percent while our long term
liability decrease from $32.5 million in 2016
to $30.3 million in 2017, an improvement of
2.2 million or 6.76 percent.
Farmers let us not forget that when I
took office as President our current and long
term liability was close to $200 million and
the JAS then was insolvent. We have come a
long way but there is still a lot more work to
do.
Major improvements & repositioning:
1. This Denbigh property of 52 acres
was used to secured loan and just over 2
years ago we settled an outstanding debt of
$85 million and now have the Denbigh title
in our care. For those who continue to say we
should develop Denbigh showground, how
can we will the asset was not belonging to us.
Now we can, and now we will.
The Denbigh Show schedule for August
5-7 is estimated to cost $100 million to stage
but will generate over $1 billion for the Ja-
By Norman Washington Grant
President, Jamaica Agricultural Society
at the 122nd Annual General Meeting
maican economy and will go down to be the
best ever Denbigh Show which will be our
65th show in our 55th year of Jamaicas cel-
ebration as an independent nation.
2. Compton House in Manchester was
another property in debt of $16 million,
which was settled by us and we engage in a
development that resulted the construction of
8 shops with annual rental income of 10 mil-
lion per annum and with the property now
valued over $70 million.
The Societys net
surplus was $2,599,613
compared to a loss of
$8,122,391 in prior year.
This strong financial
performance was driven
by increase in the surplus
from self-financing activities
which saw the surplus increase
from $1,640,789 in 2016 to
$9,082,861 in 2017, an
increase of 462 percent.
3. I am pleased to announce today that
we will be engaging in phase 2 development
over the next 24 months commencing in Sep-
tember where we will expand the complete
for rental.
4. The development of our complex in
Westmoreland is another major achievement.
The Authur Lawson Complex which now op-
erate one of the largest farm store in the
parish and we will move into phase 2 to com-
plete shops on the top and have office space
for the JAS and other building to rent.
5. At Sutton Place, church Street, we
have acquired addition property and we now
have expanded our car park which is our gen-
erating $1.2 million annually in income and
we are going break ground within the next 3
month for a multi-story car park in down
town Kingston as a park of our commitment
to redevelop downtown Kingston.
National Effort of the JAS
This has been achieved as the organiza-
tion focuses on being committed to fostering
domestic agricultural production through
best practices and efficiencies in output and
distribution, and developing good marketing
know-how for our farmers produce.
The Society also plays a supporting role
in research and development of new method-
ologies; as well as ventures in agri-business
as a means of increasing value added within
the agricultural sector. The Society also fa-
cilitates agricultural forums to educate the
public on the Jamaican Agricultural Sectors
importance, needs and constraints.
Our approximately 250,000 farmers and
fisher folk with the support from the Ministry
of Agriculture and Fisheries, the JAS, the
Rural Agricultural Development Authority
and other agencies, have gone beyond them-
selves and have produced to meet the de-
manding but desirable job of feeding this
countrys 2.7 million population.
The importance of the agriculture sector
to Jamaica has been steadily growing over
the years and the year in review shows evi-
dence of this:
Food production in 2003 was 491,000
tonnes to 668,754.7 tonnes in 2016. This is
equal to a 36% or 177,750 tonnes increase.
In 2016 the domestic crop production
amounted to 668,754.7 tonnes a 13.5% in-
crease from 2015 in which 571 441 tonnes
were produced.
Our import bill that now stands at
US$968 million has decreased from a
weighted average annual increase of US$100
before the Eat What We Grow Campaign
launched in 2003 to US$60 million per
annum after the lauch of the campaign, so
our campaign has saved the Jamaican econ-
omy approximately US$560 million or J$72
billion. So if we did not launch this game
changing campaign based on the established
trend our import bill was be US$1.5 billion
which would have challenged our exchange
rate , inflation as well as our NIR.
Traditional crops grew by an estimated
23.6 percent, with banana up 21.6 per cent;
coffee, 17.9 per cent; cocoa, 36.2 per cent;
while sugar production amounted to 41,954
tonnes.
The agricultural sector contributed 7.5
per cent to the gross domestic product (GDP)
in 2016, but the heavy rains in May affected
some 10,000 farmers, resulting in losses
worth $800 million.
These statistics confirm the opportunity
to move agricultural production forward and
given adequate support, we will be able to re-
alize the tremendous potential that exists
within the sector. If Jamaica reaches its peak
in agricultural production, it stands to bene-
fit from import substitution, poverty allevia-
tion and subsequently, sustainable economic
growth whilst securing a greater level of food
security.
Over the period under review, we con-
tinue to build on the initiatives which will en-
able the JAS to be a viable entity, which
includes:
The Board continues to meet on a
monthly basis to map out strategic plans for
the JAS which includes the examination of
the legal structure in an effort to reposition
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
the organisation as an independent and viable
organisation contributing to successful farm-
ers and agro-processors.
On November 25, 2016, we will cele-
brate the 13th anniversary of the Eat Ja-
maican food campaign as a part of the
aggressive drive to significantly reduce the
food imports. The Campaign is saving the
Jamaican Economy US$500 million over the
years that before the campaign was launched
income grew a weighted average of US $100
million/ annum moving from US$279 mil-
lion in 2000 to $479 million in 2002.
After the campaign was launch in 2003,
imports of food moved from $486 million in
2003 to approximately $969 million in 2013
thus an annual weighted average increase of
$60 million, thus saving $40 million per
annum. Therefore without the 'Eat Jamaican'
Campaign our food import bill would be US
$1.5 billion.
Food imports in 2015 decrease to
US$893 that is an 11.5% decrease, saving the
country US$88.7m. 0.7 percent reduction in
imports which is a US$2.4 million for the pe-
riod January to May 2016.
The JAS/COK Pension plan at Dec
2016 has 163 members valued $405,000.00.
The parish leading the charge for 2016 was
St. Thomas, with farmers registering from
the communities of Golden Valley, Leith
Hall, Golden Grove, Morant Bay, Sunning
Hill, Cedar Valley and Plantain Garden Agro
Park. Other Parishes include Portland, St.
Ann, St. Thomas, Kingston & St. Andrew
and St. Catherine.
The JAS is also a critical stakeholder
on the Tourism Linkage Task Force estab-
lished by the Ministry of Tourism which will
be used as a basis to re-engineer Jamaica
Agricultural Society Commercial Enterprises
(JASCEL) and the Central Marketing Sys-
tem which will be underpinned by market ac-
cess for farmers produce in an organised
framework.
Partnering with the Praedial Larceny
Prevention Unit. The JAS supports the work
of the unit as its fight against farm terrorist
and is a part of Praedial Larceny Prevention
Committee.
National Blood Drive partnership with
the National Blood Transfusion Unit
(NBTU) to provide a medium which farmers
can donate blood to the National Blood Bank
in Jamaica started in 2015.
The hosting of the National Agricul-
tural Production and Food Security Summit,
in April 2016 at the Jamaica Conference
Centre, as part of our farmers month cele-
brations. The summit had 98 registered at-
tendees that include government officials,
schools, stakeholders, organisations, and
farmers.
MOU with the Jamaican Diaspora
Agricultural Task Forces. The MOU will so-
lidify a strong partnership between members
of the Jamaica Diaspora who have a passion
and commitment for Agriculture and have or-
ganised as the Jamaica Diaspora Task Force
and the Jamaica Agricultural Society, Ja-
maicas oldest and largest organisation. For
the aim of supporting the advancement of Ja-
maican Farmers and Jamaicas Agricultural
sector.
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM AUGUST 2017 THE AGRICULTURALIST 19

JAS taking proactive

steps to combat
rising temperatures
T he Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) says it is
taking a proactive approach to combatting the
high temperatures which Jamaica has been experi-
encing.
JAS President Norman Grant said the organi-
sation has not received complaints from farmers;
however, according to him, the situation is similar
to what was experienced during the drought in
2014.
As a result, he said the measures with which
the JAS will be approaching the Ministry of Agri-
culture are similar to those proposed at that time.
Providing greater detail, he listed measures
such as fixing the irrigation issues, constructing a
mini-dam, institutionalising rain water harvesting,
as well as the distribution of tanks and the trucking
of water in the production areas of the agricultural
industry.
Grant said the Denbigh Show 2017 will also
be used to launch an education programme aimed
at paying special attention to "how we can engage
the farmers as it relates to training (and) efficient
application."

Irrigation Seminar:
(-r) Shaun Baugh, Principal Director, Planning and Policy -
MICAF) Burrell Scarlett, General Manager - Evergrow and
Norman Grant, President - JAS at the recently held Ever-
grow and K Rain Irrigation Seminar to update farmers on
the latest technology as well as effort to enhance produc-
tion.
20 THE AGRICULTURALIST AUGUST 2017 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM

Eat what we grow

Grow what we eat
Over the past six years Noranda Jamaica Bauxite Partners
has been leading the charge to transform agriculture by sharing
greenhouse technology and spearheading the building of
sixty greenhouses for small farmers in our mining areas.

We call it the greenhouse revolution helping to feed

Noranda Jamaica Bauxite Partners

Browns Town, St Ann Jamaica

The value of Organic Matter
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
S
Continued from June 2017 issue
oil without or with critically low levels of
compost have insufficient humus to posi-
tively influence run-off and erosion. Such soils
become less porous and limit air flow and oxy-
gen. Without oxygen in the soil oxygen-
breathing microbes that help the roots extract
nutrients are less able to live and help the crop.
Is Compost Better Than Manure?
When organic matter breaks down, Nitrogen is
released as ammonia (NH3). In the compost-
ing process microbes convert the ammonia to
nitrites (NO2) and then into nitrates (NO3)
which are stable forms of nitrogen that is avail-
able to the crop as fertilizer.
The combination of microbes and humus
polymers captures 95% of the available nitro-
gen in manure. Compost increases the popula-
tion and variety of microbes in the soil that
make nutrient cycles function. Nutrient cycling
is natures way of recycling the residue from
the previous crop or from waste into fertilizer
for the next crop.
When manure is used as fertilizer Nitro-
gen is released as ammonia (NH3). Only a
small portion of the ammonia is converted into
nitrites (NH2) and a large amount of the avail-
able nitrogen in the manure escapes into the air
as ammonia and is lost as a fertilizer.
Importance of
Organic Matter/Compost Quality
Not all composts are equal. The quality of com-
post is linked to the ratio of carbon to nitrogen
of the raw material and the management of the
decomposition process. When compost is made
the ration of nitrogen to carbon (C:N Ratio) de-
termines to a large extent whether the final
KNOWLEDGE
product is stable or
unstable. If there is
too much nitrogen
in the feedstock, as
the breakdown
process advances
the carbon reacts
with other elements
and become unsta-
ble. Manure has
more nitrogen than
carbon. The nitro-
gen in the manure
By Dr. Hansel Beckford will react with car-
Crop Physiologist bon in the soil in
order to become
stable and this leads to reduced soil structure
and loss of nitrogen.
In non-organic or uncertified crop enter-
prises high production, productivity and yield
quality are best achieved through the judicious
use of high quality compost in combination
with chemical fertilizers. The technique for
producing quality organic matter is a complete,
systematic approach which is steeped in the
philosophy of leveraging nature to work in the
natural manufacture of products for sustained
production.
Composting is a microbially driven
process that first breaks down organic matter,
then builds that material into humus. Compost
is the stabilized and sanitized product of a syn-
chronized microbial and thermophilic decom-
position of plant and animal feedstock
followed by microbial polymerization or build-
up of humic substances and growth of a diverse
beneficial microbial population. In compost
production the microbial environment can be
manipulated by the aid of inoculants formu-
lated to optimize and favour the species that are
beneficial to plant growth, yield and quality
and are unfavourable to plant pathogens.
Fortified or Bio-Augmented Organic Matter
Fortified Organic Matter, a kind of Biological
Organic Fertilizer, is bio-augmented organic
matter that acts as a soil conditioner while pro-
viding the environment for storage and the re-
lease of plant nutrients.
Biological organic fertilizers are sub-
stances containing living microorganisms
which promote plant growth by increasing the
supply or availability of primary nutrients to
the host plant. Various biological organic fer-
tilizers containing rhizobium, azotobacter and
azospirillium are used for soil and seed treat-
ments. Biological organic fertilizers add nutri-
ents through the natural processes of nitrogen
fixation, solubilizing phosphorus and stimulat-
ing plant growth through the synthesis of
growth-promoting substances.
The science behind the use of bio-aug-
mented organic matter is well established as
evidenced by global reported field observa-
tions. Its application is common, popular and
acceptable in commercial crop production sys-
tems throughout the world.
As a general rule, most bio-augmented or-
ganic matter (BOM) of plant material origin is
similar in content and the difference, which is
statistically insignificant, is due to composition
of the feedstock (C:N Ratio) and the popula-
tion of microbes used.
Benefits
The benefits of using BOM far outweigh any
probable negatives.
The main observable positives are:
Cost Benefit
o It is a superior product of total aerobic degra-
dation of plant material that is produced by a
biological preparation consisting of beneficial
microbes, enzymes, growth promoters, amino
and organic acids and functional compounds
that enhance nutrient assimilation by plants. It
is much cheaper compared to chemical or in-
organic fertilizers (if they possess such func-
tion qualities).
o Ability of the microbes to breakdown and
transform chemical fertilizers to available and
assimilable forms, providing them to the plants
whenever required, minimizing the rate of nu-
trient leaching.
It can beneficially affect the chemistry of
inorganic fertilizers in soils, minimizing their
degree of immobilization. The beneficial mi-
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AUGUST 2017 THE AGRICULTURALIST 21
crobes will transform the insoluble inorganic
elements supplied by chemical fertilizers into
metabolites or easily assimilated nutrients.
o Fortified Organic Matter will minimize
leaching and this will lead to a reduction in the
usage of inorganic fertilizers.
o Produces huge cost benefits: cheaper com-
pared to inorganic fertilizers; enhances the ef-
ficacy of inorganic fertilizers; improve crop
performance; and is safe as 99% of raw mate-
rial is plant waste.
Serves as Soil Conditioner
Enhances Cation Exchange Capacity (CEC)
Promotes Nitrogen Fixation and enhances
solubility of other elements
Csists of natural enzymes and probiotics
Provides organic acids
Minimizes fluctuations of soil temperature
Contains substantial amount of humus and
glomalin that provides soil with its structure
and porosity
Promotes Base Saturation and soil balancing
effect, (soil pH)
Probable Negative
The main negative that may be associated
with BOM is contamination by toxins. The
possibility of toxins in production is extremely
low as by stringent selection the raw material
would not originate from toxic environments
or is subjected to any contamination that may
affect plant growth and development.
The manufacturing process in the produc-
tion of a consistent product (BOM) is simple
and reliable: natural aerobic decomposition of
selected plant waste (the menu); pH balancing;
addition of a wetting agent; and inoculation of
beneficial microbes.
Conclusion
While there is no attempt here to dilute the
value of some inorganic fertilizer recommen-
dations for crop production in Jamaica and to
characterize its methodologies as traditional,
there is the need for all of us to evaluate old
practices and decisions with a view to oper-
ate outside of the box. Guided by the science
of organic-based soil applications and empiri-
cal facts, BOM is appropriate for immediate
input in any growing programme. The question
that BOM has not been widely tested under
local cropping regimes has little credence, as
based on the substrate, (plant waste into or-
ganic matter) only insignificant differences are
expected among geographic locations in re-
spect of organic matter value to soil fertility.
 RADA - Extension Focus
22 THE AGRICULTURALIST AUGUST 2017 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM

CABI Plantwise Programme in Jamaica

P lantwise is a global programme,
led by the Centre for Agriculture
and Bioscience International (CABI)
a non profit inter-governmental de-
velopment and information organiza-
tion based in the United Kingdom.
Plantwise aims to increase food
security and improve rural liveli-
hoods by reducing crop losses. This
is achieved by establishing networks
of plant clinics, similar to those for
human health, where farmers can
find advice to manage and prevent
crop problems.
Agricultural extension staff, First cohort of 'TOT' Plant Doctors
trained as plant doctors, learn meth-

What is unique
ods to identify any problem on any
crop brought to the clinics, and pro-

about plant clinics?

vide appropriate recommendations
guided by the national and interna-
tional best practice standards. Plant clinics are a meeting place
Farmers receive help at plant where local plant health extension
clinics based on integrated pest man- officers, known as plant doctors,
agement, a sound and sustainable ap- help farmers struggling with plant
proach to pest control. They can pests and diseases.
increase yields and incomes, while They provide diagnoses and
protecting health. management advice for any prob-
Plant clinics are reinforced by the lem and any crop.
Plantwise Knowledge Bank, a gate- The plant clinics are not oper-
way to online and offline plant health ated by Plantwise, but our national
information.
implementing partners.
Yallahs Agro Park Plant Clinic Plantwise provides training for
In Jamaica
plant doctors and connects them
Plant clinics provide a meeting place
with knowledge resources such as
for trained plant health advisors,
known as plant doctors, and the farm- the Plantwise Knowledge Bank and
ers they aim to serve. Plant clinics are national research centres who can
not operated by Plantwise, but rather provide diagnostic support.
by the local Rural Agricultural De-
velopment Authority (RADA) ex-
tension officers who we have been
trained by Plantwise in the relevant
techniques and skills to run a plant
clinic.
The RADA experts provide diag-
nosis and advice on any problem and
any crop, and when they need addi-
tional help, Plantwise connects them
with new knowledge resources - like
factsheets, photosheets and Green
and Yellow Lists from the knoweldge
bank- and new links to national re-
search centres who can provide an-
swers.
Plant clinics are fora for sharing
knowledge about farming within
local communities- a gateway where Rural Agricultural
policy makers can collect important Development Authority
data to inform research and decision- Hope Gardens, Kingston 6
making, and where farmers can con- Tel: 876-977-1158-62
sult an objective advisor on how to Fax: 876-970-4660
protect and manage their crops. executive@rada.gov.jm
www.plantwise.org/
www.rada.gov.jm
 Cannabis Licensing Authority
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
receives 236 applications
T he Cannabis Licensing Authority
(CLA) has, to date, received 236 ap-
plications for licences since commencing
the process last year.
Chairperson, Hyacinth Lightbourne,
says five categories of licenses are issued
covering: cultivation, processing, trans-
portation, retail, and research and develop-
ment.
She said that of the 236 applications,
two licences have been granted and 44 con-
ditionally approved, while pointing out that
none has, thus far, been issued.
Lightbourne pointed out that the li-
censing process takes an average of six
months during which the requisite checks
and balances are conducted to ensure the
applicants adherence to the stipulations.
If a person has been granted a license but
has either not yet paid the security bond or
the fees, the licence is not issued. So, for
those two applicants, that is currently what
we are waiting on, she explained.
She was speaking during a session on
medical marijuana at the Jamaica 55 Dias-
pora Conference on Tuesday (July 25) at
the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown
Kingston.
In the meantime, Ms. Lightbourne
said the CLA has been working with the
National Land Agency (NLA) and Land
Administration and Management Pro-
gramme (LAMP) to facilitate persons with
properties who are not in possession of ti-
TO FIND OUT MORE CALL: 876-831-1778 (Infomation) 784-6572 (orders)
AUGUST 2017 THE AGRICULTURALIST 23
tles, but are desirous of participating in the
associated activities.
She reiterated the Governments com-
mitment to developing a properly regulated
marijuana industry in Jamaica, and urged
interested persons to visit the CLAs web-
site at http://cla.org.jm for more informa-
tion.
The Cannabis Licensing Authority is
an agency of the Ministry of Industry,
Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries,
which was created in 2015 under the Dan-
gerous Drug (Amendment) Act, to estab-
lish and regulate Jamaicas legal marijuana
and hemp industry.
The Authoritys mandate includes:
formulating regulations to guide the indus-
trys orderly development and facilitate the
use of the plants and their by-products for
medical, therapeutic and scientific pur-
poses; ensuring that industry regulations
and activities are consistent with Jamaicas
international obligations; and issuing li-
cences, permits and authorisation for han-
dling of hemp and marijuana.
The Authority operates a Licensing
and Applications Division as well as an En-
forcement and Monitoring Division. Both
are mandated to ensure that applications
are appropriately reviewed and licenses is-
sued to qualified applicants, and that li-
censees are held accountable in accordance
with the stipulated terms and conditions.
 Managing the Frosty Pod Rot disease in Jamaica
24 THE AGRICULTURALIST AUGUST 2017 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM

I n August 2016, the Cocoa Industry Board received information of unusual high
incidences of fungal disease affecting pods in cocoa orchards in the parish of
Clarendon. Dr. Lisa Myers, Director at Bodles Research Station was first con-
tacted, and she contacted the Plant Health Co-ordinating Committee. That team
swiftly visited fields in affected areas of Clarendon and subsequently report sus-
pected cases of Frosty Pod Rot (FRP) which was later confirmed internationally.
An absent/present survey was conducted in the Cocoa growing areas of Jamaica
and the following parishes were confirmed to have the disease: Clarendon (810
hectares), St. Catherine (25 hectares), St. Andrew (21 hectares) and St. Mary (13
hectares).
The Government of Jamaica set up a
Frosty Pod Project within the Cocoa In-
dustry Board to effectively manage FPR
disease in a systematic manner, to contain
and control the disease, thereby preventing
further spread of the disease to other cocoa
growing parishes where the disease is not
yet present.
This project is implemented with tech-
nical support from the Plant Quarantine
Unit, Research & Development (Bodles),
RADA Extension Officers and Inter-Amer-
ican Institute for cooperation on Agricul-
ture (IICA).

Sensitization
The first step in the management and con-
trol of FPR disease is to as best as possible
sensitize Farmers, Higglers, Field workers
and the Communities in which the infec-
tion is present about identification and con-
trol procedures.
The disease being a fungus is transmit-
ted mainly by wind, birds, animals,
splashes of rain and most importantly hu-
mans. Humans are responsible for the
transmission of the disease over large geo-
graphic areas (northern parishes to eastern
parishes) as spores are lodged to clothing,
vehicles, tools and machinery when oper-
ating in infected areas.
An appreciation for good sanitation
practices cannot be over stated.
Identification of
Frosty Pod Disease:
1. Early symptoms young pods (cherelles)
becomes rough looking and disfigured.
2. Pods developed a creamy, white pow-
dery fungus which quickly spread all over.
3. A broken ripe pod will display fused
beans with no mucilage or air spaces
4. Pods become mummified and shrinked.
Frosty Pod
Management Protocol
Once the disease is positively identified on
a farm, the approved Frosty Pod Manage-
ment Protocol must be implemented as a
matter of national importance:
1.Stripping (1st cycle) Remove all fruits
(young, mature & dry) from the tree, leav-
ing only leaves and branches. Fruits re-
moved are to be carefully buried or
composted.
2. Stripping (2nd cycle) Remove all pods
and cherelles that reappear 2-3 months
after the first stripping (in moderate to se-
vere cases)
Cocoa affected by Frosty Pod Rot under heavily shaded conditions
BY CLINTON SMITH
Frosty Pod Project Coordinator
Cocoa Industry Board
3. Spraying Use motorized sprayers to
apply the recommended fungicide (copper
base) thoroughly ensuring that young pods
and cherelles received good coverage.
4. Prune- Reduce excessive shade and low
tangled branches allowing for free air cir-
culation and sunlight to dry out the damp
areas.
5. Culling Check and monitor regularly
to ensure that the field remain free disease.
Pods suspected of carrying the disease
should be removed and buried before
sporulation.
Some Dos and
donts are as follow:
1. Do Not remove pods from the field
under any circumstance (unless they are
certified disease free). During reaping pods
must opened to remove beans and properly
composed on spot.
2. Do proper cleaning and sanitation pro-
cedures after working in an infected field
to remove unseen spores.
3. Do Not move or allow animals to move
from infected field to an uninfected one.
4. Do report any suspected cases of Frosty
Pod Diseases to the Cocoa Industry Board
Frosty Pod Control Desk (499-2117)
5. Look out for notices and bulletins and
follow strictly the Frosty Pod Management
protocol.
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM AUGUST 2017 THE AGRICULTURALIST 25
26 THE AGRICULTURALIST AUGUST 2017 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
 Strategies for a healthy diet
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM AUGUST 2017 THE AGRICULTURALIST 27

1. Eat enough calories but not
too many. Maintain a balance be-
tween your calorie intake and
calorie expenditurethat is,
dont eat more food than your
body uses. The average recom-
mended daily allowance is 2,000
calories, but this depends on your
age, sex, height, weight and phys-
ical activity.
2. Eat a wide variety of foods.
Healthy eating is an opportunity
to expand your range of choices
by trying foodsespecially veg-
etables, whole grains or fruits
that you dont normally eat.
3. Keep portions moderate, es-
pecially high-calorie foods. In
recent years serving sizes have
ballooned, particularly in restau-
rants. Choose a starter instead of
an entre, split a dish with a
friend and dont order supersized
anything.
4. Eat plenty of fruits, vegeta-
bles, grains, and legumes
7. Dont be the food police. You
can enjoy your favourite sweets
and fried foods in moderation, as
long as they are an occasional
part of your overall healthy diet.
Food is a great source of pleasure,
and pleasure is good for the heart
even if those French fries
arent!
11. Take time to chew your
food: Chew your food slowly, sa- 14. Eating just enough to satisfy
voring every bite. We tend to rush your hunger will help you re-
through our meals, forgetting to main alert, relaxed and feeling
actually taste the flavours and feel your best, rather than stuffing
the textures of what is in our yourself into a food coma!
mouths. Reconnect with the joy
of eating. 1.5. Eat early, eat often: Starting
your day with a healthy breakfast
12. Avoid stress while eating: can jumpstart your metabolism,
When we are stressed, our diges- and eating the majority of your
tion can be compromised, causing daily caloric allotment early in
problems like colitis and heart- the day gives your body time to
burn. Avoid eating while work- work those calories off. Also, eat-
ing, driving, arguing or watching ing small, healthy meals through-
TV. out the day, rather than the
standard three large meals, can
13. Listen to your body: Ask help keep your metabolism going
yourself if you are really hungry, and ward off snack attacks.
and stop eating when you feel
full. It actually takes a few min-
utes for your brain to tell your
body that it has had enough food,
so eat slowly.
The
Th Tropical
Tr
Tro
Trop
Tropi
Tropic
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T F
Fa
Far
Farm
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Farmer
Farmers
Farmers

ALMANA
ALMAN
ALMA
ALMANAC
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AL
foods high in complex
carbohydrates, fiber, vitamins,
and minerals, low in fat and free 8. Get moving. A healthy diet
of cholesterol. Try to get fresh, improves your energy and feel-
local produce. ings of well-being while reducing
your risk of many diseases.
5. Drink more water. Our bodies Adding regular physical activity
are about 75% water. It is a vital and exercise will make any
20 Edition
201
2017 E
Ed
Edi
Edit
Editi
Editio Every
Ever
Eve
Ev
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Everyd
Everyday
E G
Gui
Guid
Guide
Gu To T Successful
S
Su
Suc
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Succes
Success
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Fa
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Farming
Farming $
$9
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part of a healthy diet. Water helps
flush our systems, especially the
kidneys and bladder of waste
products and toxins. A majority of
Americans go through life dehy-
drated.
6. Limit sugary foods, salt, and
refined grain products. Sugar is
added to a vast array of foods. In
a year, just one daily 12-ounce
can of soda (160 calories) can in-
crease your weight by 16 pounds.
See suggestions below for limit-
ing salt and substituting whole
grains for refined grains.
healthy eating plan work even
better.
9. One step at a time. Establish-
ing new food habits is much eas-
ier if you focus on and take action
on one food group or food fact at
a time
10. Eating smart: A key step to-
wards healthy eating. Healthy
eating begins with learning how
to eat smart. Its not just what
you eat, but how you eat. Paying
attention to what you eat and
choosing foods that are both
nourishing and enjoyable helps

The Agriculturalist
support an overall healthy diet.

Successful farmers read

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Focu
Foc
Fo
Health
H and
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Healt a Wealth
an W
We
Wea
Weal
Wealt

Farmers Almanac
with
w Miracle
wit
wi Miracl
Mirac
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Mir
Mi
M
Plants
Plants
Plant
Plan
Pla
Pl
P
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 Forest Conservator proud of her journey
28 THE AGRICULTURALIST AUGUST 2017
I
By Dr Denise Dennis
n 1996, Marilyn Headley made
history by becoming the first fe-
male Conservator of Forests in Ja-
maica and the Commonwealth.
They used to say, you dont
look like a forester; so I would al-
ways say, how is a forester sup-
posed to look? she relates to JIS
News.
The appointment as head of
the Forestry Department all the
more meaningful, as she was re-
turning to the agency, which kick-
started her career would set the
forest sector on its current path to
being foremost in the countrys
drive towards sustained growth and
development.
Her appointment might also
have served as a catalyst for the ad-
dition of more female technical
staff at the traditionally male-dom-
inated Department.
Being a female in the
Forestry Department had always
been like who are you and what do
you know, Ms. Headley says in
an interview with JIS News.
Recalling her first stint at the
Department in 1976, when she took
a job as an Assistant to the then
Deputy Director, having just com-
pleted her degree in Agriculture at
the University of the West Indies,
St. Augustine, Ms. Headley says
there were, at most, three females
working in technical fields.
Over the course of eight years,
she served as civil culturist, re-
search officer and senior research
officer at the agency.
Still, she was eager for more
opportunities to grow profession-
ally, and moved to the Jamaica Na-
tional Investment Promotions
Limited (now Jamaica Promotions
Corporation), where she worked as
an Agricultural Marketing Officer.
That agency transferred her to
its Miami office, where, for eight
years, she would work as the Agri-
cultural Officer for the North
American region.
Upon her return to the Forestry
Department in 1996, however, she
was disappointed to find that the fe-
male-to-male ratio had not seen
much improvement over the years.
The gender gap would, however,
begin to improve, following Ms.
Headleys appointment as Conser-
vator. This, she says, was due in
part to a Canadian-funded Trees
for Tomorrow project, which had a you are qualified, gender should
module focused on how gender was
reflected at the organisation.
The Conservator makes it
clear that while she made no direct
effort to bring in more females, she
made sure qualified women were
equally considered for technical po-
sitions as men.
MARILYN HEADLEY
Jamaican Conservator of Forests
I am not going to hire you Ms. Headley tells JIS News
just because you are female, but if that some 40 per cent of technical
positions at the Department are
not hinder you from being consid- now filled by women, up from 1.5
ered, she points out. per cent in the 1990s. She notes that
With the number of women several members of the senior man-
leaving universities qualified in agement team are also female.
technical areas increasing, she is That is what I call improve-
proud to note that the female cohort ment, in that everybody can now
at the Forestry Department also in- feel like they too can be a Conser-
creased exponentially. vator. It is important for people to
feel that when they come in, there is
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
room for them to move up, she
points out.
Bolstered by her love for the
outdoors, an innate passion for
forests and a deep appreciation for
the sectors value to the environ-
ment, Ms. Headley has led the De-
partment for 21 years, seeing it
through many changes, most no-
tably its transition to an executive
agency in 2007.
She was appointed Chief Ex-
ecutive Officer and reinstated as
Conservator of Forests following
the shift, which she describes as an
achievement of which she is partic-
ularly proud.
She is also happy to have been
able to bring the forest sector to the
forefront of public awareness,
which she hopes will foster greater
recognition of the importance of
forests in mitigating climate
change, protecting the countrys in-
frastructure from flooding and to
overall safeguard the environment.
It was in the 2000s that she in-
troduced the community participa-
tion initiative, where foresters were
encouraged to get persons involved
in protecting the resource. Getting
people involved, getting the stake-
holders to meet, getting the views
of the public all this was new to
the Forestry Department, she
points out.
 INTERNATIONAL NEWS
Americas Agricultural Success:
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM AUGUST 2017 THE AGRICULTURALIST 29

A Well-Kept Secret?
A
By Judy Woodruff during perhaps the countrys

The Bank is
mid all the worry about how worst housing crisis ever. The
long it will take the eco- homes they helped find mortgage

a Cooperative
nomic recovery to kick into high backing for are principally in rural
gear, theres a little-noticed sector areas. Secretary Vilsack explained
thats doing very well, thank you: its our mission to do this; weve

of an economic
American agriculture. Over- been working hard to improve the
looked by many of us in the news quality of life for people living in

and social
media, probably in part because rural areas. Under that same
we spend most of our time in big heading, he threw in the assis-
cities, farm sector earnings hit a tance the department has provided

nature, its
record last year, with farm income for school construction, for small
rising just above $100 billion. overseas trade generates 8,400 extensive supply chain including business (almost 50,000 loans)
I sat down with U.S. Secre- jobs in this country?) storage, transport, and equipment and for the expansion of broad-

objectives
tary of Agriculture Tom Vilsack a The question is WHY is agri- manufacturing. Farmers are buy- band in rural areas some
few days ago to get an update on culture doing so well? Vilsack, ing lots of new machinery, like 80,000 miles-worth.

what his huge (90,000 employees)
department is up to, and came
away surprised by the successes
in the American agri-economy.
Much of this is being driven by
whose grandfather owned a farm,
says back in 1975, the most pro-
ductive farmers planted an aver-
age of 12,000 seeds per acre.
Today, thanks to science, its
large tractors with sophisticated
GPS systems, leading to new hir-
ing on the part of companies like
John Deere, which recently added
250 people at a plant in Ankeny,
are:
Finally, food stamps: a sensi-
tive topic on the presidential cam-
paign trail this year, as former
House Speaker Newt Gingrich
has referred to President Obama

- To receive the savings

farm exports, which reached a
record high last year and as
Vilsack, a former Governor of
Iowa, likes to point out, helped
support 1.15 million jobs here in
the United States.
These exports contributed to
an overall U.S. trade surplus that
also hit a record in 2011. (Did you
know that every $1 billion in
closer to 30,000. After informa-
tion technology, agriculture is the
second most productive sector of
the economy.
Farm unemployment is drop-
ping at a faster rate than the rest
of the job specialties because of
this, and because of what Vilsack
calls an extraordinary investment
in infrastructure. He describes an
Iowa, that manufactures cotton
pickers.
There are many more facets
to the success story, but two bright
spots in particular stand out at this
wide-ranging federal department:
housing and food assistance. The
U.S. Department of Agriculture
helped arrange 456,000 home
loans over the past three years,
as the food stamp president.
Run by USDA, its real name is
the Supplemental Nutrition Assis-
of its members and
invest them for profit.
tance Program, or SNAP. Vilsack
reminded me that while there was
a substantial increase in demand
- To grant credit to
its owners.
for SNAP benefits in the wake of
the economic downturn, only 8
percent of recipients are on wel-
fare.

US farm equipment maker looking to Africa for future growth

The People's Cooperative Bank
FUTURE FARM - One of

movement spans over 107 years.

Agcos Future Farms re-
sponsibilities is to teach as-
piring tractor technicians Our Management, Volunteers,
Partners and staff are commit-
how to service Agco-dis-

ted to the task of 'Building

tributed tractors. US-based
agricultural equipment
manufacturer and supplier Communities, by Ensuring
the Growth and Development
Agco is directing a large

of our Members"
portion of its future growth
potential into Africa, espe-
cially South Africa, as a key
market going forward. Agco
corporation Asia-Pacific
and Africa senior VP Gary
Collar tells Engineering
News the company is build-
ing infrastructurea re-
gional headquarters in
Kempton Park, Gauteng
and is considering the
building of an assembly
plant near the coast the lo-
cation of which is yet to be
determined to leverage ex-
panding market potential in

Green tea may ameliorate memory impairment,

Africa.

brain insulin resistance, and obesity Lot 19 Nashville

A
study published online in The FASEB
Journal, involving mice, suggests that
EGCG (epigallocatechin-3-gallate), the most
abundant catechin and biologically active
component in green tea, could alleviate high-
fat and high-fructose (HFFD)-induced in-
sulin resistance and cognitive impairment.
Previous research pointed to the poten-
tial of EGCG to treat a variety of human dis-
eases, yet until now, EGCG's impact on
insulin resistance and cognitive deficits trig-
gered in the brain by a Western diet remained
unclear.
"Green tea is the second most consumed
beverage in the world after water, and is
Mandeville P.O, Manchester
Tel: 876-962-5360/961-0278
grown in at least 30 countries," said Xuebo
Liu, Ph.D., a researcher at the College of
Food Science and Engineering, Northwest Fax: 876-962-6870
A&F University, in Yangling, China. "The Email: npcbheadq1@hotmail.com
ancient habit of drinking green tea may be a
more acceptable alternative to medicine
when it comes to combatting obesity, insulin
resistance, and memory impairment."
 FAO supports Jamaicas efforts to revive ginger sector
30 THE AGRICULTURALIST AUGUST 2017
Close to 100 trained under value chain programme
O
By Shanoy Coombs
Communication Consultant
Shanoy.coombs@fao.org
ver the past six (6) months,
the Food and Agriculture Or-
ganization of the United Nations
(FAO) has provided technical
support to the development of a
ginger value chain in Jamaica.
The programme, which is a col-
laboration with the Government
of Jamaica (GOJ) seeks to revive
the countrys ginger sector by im-
proving ginger production and
looking into secondary ginger
products for local and interna-
tional consumption.
This process applies a public
private partnership approach and
supports Jamaicas economic
growth strategy which high-
lighted ginger as one of several
crops considered to have high po-
tential for contributing to com-
mercial development.
Under the current pro-
gramme, close to 100 farmers and
public and private sector partners
have been trained during a series
of stakeholder consultations from
January to June 2017. These ses-
sions have been focused on main-
streaming the value chain
process, which includes all actors
(farmers, buyers, processors) in-
volved from farm to fork.
Via the technical input of
FAO, consultants Martin Raine
and Cordia Thompson have com-
pleted field research, led training
and development sessions and fa-
cilitated stakeholder feedback
around the strategic findings and
the proposed future strategy for
Jamaicas Ginger sector.
According to the consultants,
the interventions to date are im-
portant inputs into the govern-
ments strategy to revive the
ginger sector. The Ministry of
Industry, Commerce, Agriculture
and Fisheries has made honest ef-
fort to work with the private sec-
tor stakeholders to revive the
ginger sector. This sort of collab-
oration is what the value chain
approach is about to get all stake-
holders involved and to go be-
yond a single ministry approach
they indicated.
They also noted that the
measures to date are aimed to-
wards the creation of the ginger
value chain committee which will
be steeped in public and private
sector partnership.
While this Ginger value
chain committee is expected to be
established by the end of 2017,
several project activities have
been completed and initiated to
date, including: awareness and
training courses in the value chain
approach and how to institution-
alise it within the Ministry, FAO
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM
sector.
value chain in Dominica and Irish
A ginger farmer in the field
FAO Consultant, Martin Raine displays Jamaican grown ginger
and rich history dating back to
Clean ginger material
supports Jamaicas efforts to re-
vive ginger contd a value chain
analysis and upgrading strategy
planning exercise, the develop-
ment of clean planting material
and the current plant propagation
component which is well under-
way at the Bodles research sta-
tion. There are also plans to
renovate existing greenhouses to
further support the growth of a
more robust ginger value chain
In considering the prospects
for the Jamaican Ginger Value
chain programme, FAO has refer-
enced experiences from other
countries such as Fiji, Costa Rica,
and Thailand. The pineapple
potato value chain in Jamaica
have also been noted as success-
ful approaches to value chain de-
velopment.
When fully implemented, the
GOJ/FAO ginger value chain pro-
gramme is expected to help to im-
prove ginger production, tap into
existing market opportunities for
ginger farmers and new ginger
products, and increase opportuni-
ties/innovations for agro-proces-
sors.
Long Pond
distillery back
in Operation
A
fter being closed for four
years, Long Pond Distillery
Limited, located in Clarks Town,
Trelawny, has resumed operations.
Mayor of Falmouth, Councillor
Colin Gager, said the reopening of
the 264-year old distillery is wel-
comed, and is important for the
economic viability of the parish.
Mayor Gager was represent-
ing the Minister of Industry, Com-
merce, Agriculture and Fisheries,
Hon. Karl Samuda, at the official
recommissioning ceremony on
July 26.
He expressed the Govern-
ments support and commitment to
the operation of the facility. The
Long Pond Distillery has a long
1753, and was closed in 2012 due
to waste disposal issues.
Chief Executive Officer of
National Rums of Jamaica, Win-
ston Harrison, said 22 residents
from Clarks Town are employed at
the distillery.
He noted that the company is
currently in the process of com-
pleting several orders for Europe,
including for long-standing cus-
tomers in Germany. Harrison said
the distillery is a historical land-
mark in Trelawny, producing rums
for some of the finest and
renowned brands worldwide over
the past two and a half centuries.
WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM AUGUST 2017 THE AGRICULTURALIST 31
32 THE AGRICULTURALIST AUGUST 2017 WWW.THEAGRICULTURALIST.COM