KINGSTON, Jamaica – Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Karl Samuda is calling for increased partnerships in order to boost production the agricultural and agro-industrial sector.

Speaking at the 121st Annual General Meeting of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) held yesterday at Denbigh in Clarendon, Samuda urged traders and members of the business community to enter into partnerships with the farming community, and especially the small farmers, to increase investment in the sector.

Bemoaning the various challenges that continue to confront the sector, Samuda outlined several initiatives to provide infrastructural support to farming communities by improving water supplies and irrigation schemes as well as rehabilitating farm roads.

In his address, president of the Jamaica Agriculture Society (JAS) Norman Grant said that the farmers organisation was a financially viable on and was in the best financial position it had been for the past 20 years.