MONTEGO BAY, Jamaica — Over 1,000 goats have been imported into the island since April of last year under the National Small Ruminant Development Programme.

According to a news release on Sunday, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Floyd Green made the disclosure during the Hanover leg of the New FACE of Food engagement session at the Grand Palladium Resort in the parish on Thursday, January 18.

“The Government has only brought in 200, so it is farmers who have brought in the other 800 and they are using that to build their herds,” he said.

Launched in 2021, the small ruminants programme is geared towards rapidly increasing the population of goats, in order to increase local production, productivity and the quality of small-ruminant meat and milk.

Farmers looking to bring in goats to boost their herd can do so duty free under the programme.

Minister Green is encouraging goat farmers to take advantage of the initiative and others through the Ministry.

“If you are into small ruminant goat farming, we can come and help you with artificial insemination to help you get better breed stock,” he pointed out.

The Ministry’s New FACE of Food campaign is geared towards driving food security, agribusiness development, climate change technologies, and export expansion.

The Ministry has been embarking on island-wide engagement sessions to sensitise farmers and other stakeholders about the campaign.