SANTA CRUZ, St Elizabeth – St Elizabeth has long held pride of place as the ‘breadbasket’ parish in Jamaica and farmers in the area were on Thursday hailed for their resilience in supporting the local agriculture sector.

Evidence of their efforts was up for display at a Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) open day in Santa Cruz and drew praises from both Governor General Sir Patrick Allen, who was on a tour in St Elizabeth, and Minister of Agriculture Roger Clarke.

“As I stand here this morning in the parish which is responsible for providing most of the food on our tables, I want to thank our farmers who have battled with the hardships of nature, fluctuating market prices and the human trespassers who reap what they did not sow. You have always tried to bounce back quickly ensuring that we can continue to eat what we grow and grow what we eat,” said Allen before declaring the exhibition open and visiting booths.

He said that through a variety of projects, RADA has strengthened the earning potential of farmers and their families.

Affirming points from the minister of agriculture’s recent budget debate, Allen described agriculture as the “bedrock” of the rural economy and said agro-parks will be the game changer in the mission to increase Jamaica’s share in the global food market. He said, too, that ways must be found to keep attracting young people to agriculture for an increase in national food security and economic development.

For his part, Clarke said that when the country signed the agreement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF), a commitment was made that the agriculture sector was going to make a significant contribution to growing the economy and it has been successful.

He said that small farmers have been leading the way on that growth path and there has been a 20 per cent growth in the domestic crop sector.

Clarke said that many of the farmers in St Elizabeth have had to face more adverse situations than those in other parts of Jamaica but have continued to make their contribution.

He assured the audience that Commissioner of Police Owen Ellington has indicated that a special unit will be established to deal with the prevailing problem of praedial thieves who will be pursued with a vigor similar to lottery scammers.

The agriculture minister thanked the Governor General for being a source of encouragement as he carries out his portfolio duties and the “ordinary” people of Jamaica who give him the strength to keep going.

He used the occasion ahead of Fathers’ Day to advise fathers who are not being supportive of their children to play their part.

“Fathers take up your responsibilities,” Clarke urged.

Sir Patrick Allen visited Sydney Pagon Agricultural High School prior to attending the agricultural exposition. He ended the tour with a special meeting with St Elizabeth Justices of the Peace at Beadle Hall in Santa Cruz.