KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries says it will ensure that women and the youth benefit from a donation of input supplies by H&L Agro valued at $3 million, to assist them in recovery following recent weeks of heavy rains, which damaged farms and caused flooding.

Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries Floyd Green said a suitable model, which is efficient and transparent, must be adopted to distribute the items, which include pesticides, herbicides, fungicides and seeds of lettuce, carrot and onions.

“We want these inputs to get to the farmers in the quickest possible time in a very open and transparent way that can stand up to scrutiny and we must make special provisions for youth and our women. Oftentimes they are disproportionately dealt with in these emergencies and issues that affect our agriculture sector,” the minister said.

He was speaking at the handover ceremony of agriculture supplies in support of the ministry’s emergency relief programme to farmers at the ministry’s Hope Gardens offices in Kingston on Tuesday.

The minister expressed gratitude for the continued support of H&L in times of despair.

Meanwhile, in his remarks, Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority, Peter Thompson, expressed his own gratitude for the provision of the agricultural supplies.

“It will go a far way in assisting our farmers and I want to commend the H&L team,” he said.

Thompson reiterated the sentiments of the minister in ensuring that the inputs are distributed in a timely manner to those farmers most in need in the areas regarded as production zones.

The company’s assistance represents the third time responding to issues affecting farmers. Last October, H&L provided assistance to farmers who suffered loss as a result of fire in Flagaman, St Elizabeth and this year responded to the COVID-19 pandemic.