KINGSTON, Jamaica, Sept 24, CMC -The Jamaica government is providing the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) with an additional J$60 million (One Jamaica dollar=US$0.008 cents) for the buildout of water catchment points.
Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Minister, Floyd Green, said that the catchments will be situated in 25 high-yield farming areas.
“What we’re doing is looking for areas where we have highly productive farmers to build catchments so that when we do have rain, as we’ve started to have some rain now, that we’re able to catch that water and utilise it in those farming communities,” he said, as he provided an update on the country’s drought-mitigation measures.
Green said the government has been proactive in its response with an initial J$135.25 million allocated for various initiatives to assist farmers across the island. He said of that amount J$60.25 million went to Members of Parliament for direct support to farmers, J$15 million to the National Irrigation Commission (NIC) to facilitate trucking, and J$60 million to RADA for trucking and distribution of micro-irrigation kits.
Green said in addition1,760 farmers have been trained in water management, soil moisture conservation, drought-tolerant crop varieties, plant decisions and managing heat stress on crops and livestock.
Green aso announced that an additional J$50 million would be made available for the drought-intervention programme, targeting water storage and drip irrigation systems.
“The rain is coming but we want to ensure that farmers are using the water efficiently. We’re going to be again procuring some storage tanks, some drip irrigation systems, placing greater emphasis on water application, sustainable production, better use of the water resources, as we look to expand production to ensure that we have a Christmas where our food security is truly secure.”
Green said that the Essex Valley irrigation programme in St. Elizabeth, southwest of here, is nearing completion, describing the project as the largest investment in irrigation undertaken in Jamaica and the Caribbean.
“The Essex Valley system will really help us in relation to our food security matrix,” he said, noting that more than 150 farmers have already expressed interest and applied to receive water through the system.
Jamaica is experiencing a severe drought driven by prolonged below-normal rainfall, near-record temperatures, and climate patterns, leading to critically low reservoir levels, water restrictions, and a 15% drop in agricultural production.
CMC/gk/ir/2026