Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon J.C. Hutchinson (right), looks on as Portland farmer, Glenton Cole, points out the extent of damage to his farm following recent flood rains. The Minister was on a tour of severely affected farming communities in the parish on Tuesday (May 3)
(JIS PHOTO)
Flood-Affected Farmers to Get Assistance
As of the week beginning May 9th, the Government will roll out a programme of assistance for farmers whose crops were recently destroyed by floods, caused by heavy rains in Portland and St. Thomas.
Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, who met with farmers in Portland following a tour of the worst affected areas of the parish on May 3rd said the programme, to be managed by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), will include the provision of fertiliser, seeds, livestock, and feed.
Minister Hutchinson announced that a goat revolving programme will be implemented, where farmers will be given ewes, which they will breed and then pass on the first females to other farmers.
He said the aim is to resuscitate livestock and upgrade the quality of ruminants in the country.
“This is going to be a project … it is not one where we are just going to be having it remain with you who have lost, but we are going to be expanding it to other persons who want to go into goat rearing,” the Minister said.
The Minister noted that, as a farmer himself, he empathised with all those impacted, and reiterated the Ministry’s commitment to do all it can to “help them get back on their feet.”
The overall damage to crops and livestock is estimated at over $100 million, with 516 farmers being affected – 251 in Portland and 265 in St. Thomas.
Approximately 281.7 hectares of agricultural produce were affected, 252 in Portland and 29.7 in St. Thomas. In addition, 2,472 livestock were lost: 419 in Portland and 2,053 in St. Thomas.
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