KINGSTON, Jamaica–The agricultural industry is poised for further growth this year, with significant investment in boosting productivity in fisheries, crop and livestock farming.

Increased focus will also be placed on the rehabilitation of farm roads, providing cold storage to reduce post-harvest losses and building the resilience of the sector to climate change.

Providing details of the initiatives to JIS News, Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Minister Floyd Green, said the fisheries sector will be guided by a development plan for the sector, which was launched last year.

The Government has the objective of increasing fisheries contribution to gross domestic product by 50 per cent to $15 billion by 2027, through sustainable management and development of the fisheries and aquaculture sectors.

The minister cited an investment of $500 million in a state-of-the-art fish hatchery in Twickenham Park, St Catherine, to revitalise tilapia breeding.

The project includes the construction of a 12,000-square-foot biosecure tilapia factory, treatment systems, solar systems, a standby generator, mechanical, electrical, and plumbing systems, a guardhouse and administrative facilities.

The ministry will also be supporting fisheries education in schools by helping institutions to “build curricula around fisheries and freshwater fish”, Minister Green said.

Other areas of focus are small ruminant production and “we are going to continue to provide access to farm roads,” Green added.

He informed that his ministry is building out “effective, affordable, accessible coal storage” facilities, which will extend the quality, nutritional value and shelf life of agricultural produce.

In addition to reducing crop losses, the minister said that these facilities will “moderate prices, [stablilise] supply to the market, and farmers will get greater returns on their investment”.

He said that attention will continue to be placed on research and development and measures to boost climate resilience.

-JIS