FACED with the dual challenges of feeding a growing population and stabilising the sector, Agriculture Minister Floyd Green is advocating for a paradigm shift in how the sector is funded and managed. Speaking at the Jamaica Stock Exchange (JSE) 20th Regional Investments & Capital Markets Conference 2025, Green made a direct appeal to private investors, emphasising that agriculture must be treated as a priority within Jamaica’s capital markets so as to drive food security and economic resilience.

“No matter what we do, no matter how rich we get, we all have to eat,” Green told the gathering of industry leaders and financiers last week. “The country that is able to feed itself is the country that will truly be economically independent. Agriculture must become a priority for our capital markets.”

Green’s remarks come amid a broader Government push to modernise Jamaica’s agricultural infrastructure and systems. Central to the strategy is a $1-billion investment in cold storage facilities, aimed at mitigating the long-standing issues of price volatility caused by seasonal gluts and shortages.The Government plans to retrofit facilities in Kirkvine and Coleyville, Manchester, while also rolling out modular, solar-powered storage units across the island.

The first four units are expected to become operational in 2025, with a total of 30 planned over the next five years.

“We go through gluts, where the prices are significantly depressed and the farmers complain that they can’t get the return on their investments. And then we go through shortages, where the price is significantly escalated, and the consumers complain that, ‘Boy, the price is too high,’ “ Green said.

“The way to treat it is to ensure that we extend the shelf life of our agricultural produce so that we can have it right through the year. So, we’re gonna be doing some significant investments around Kirkvine, around Coleyville – again, different because we have tried storage before but energy costs have been the big challenge,” he reasoned.

The cold storage facilities are positioned as a central part of the agricultural sector’s modernisation drive.

By extending the shelf life of perishable goods these units are designed to stabilise farm incomes and reduce losses that undermine productivity. However, while the Government is initiating these investments, Green stressed that operationalising and sustaining the facilities will require active private sector participation.

“We need partners to ensure these facilities are managed efficiently and benefit our farmers,” he stated.

In adddition to investment in cold storage facilities, plans are also in place for a $6-billion investment over six years to revitalise agricultural research.

Once a global leader in tropical agriculture, Jamaica aims to re-establish its reputation by developing climate-resilient crops and boosting productivity. The research initiatives will be anchored by centres of excellence focused on specific crops, such as ginger and turmeric at Montpelier, fruit trees at Orange River, and strawberries at Top Mountain.

“We’re building a seed technology centre to ensure we have the planting material to drive the next generation of agriculture,” Green said, emphasising the need to adapt to the realities of climate change.

While the Government is laying the groundwork, Green stressed that private sector participation is essential to operationalise and sustain these initiatives.

“We’re not looking to run these facilities ourselves – we need partners to ensure they are managed efficiently and benefit our farmers,” he said.

Minister of agriculture for St Kitts and Nevis, Samal Duggins,echoed Green’s call for private sector leadership in agriculture. Speaking at the same event, Duggins emphasised that governments must act as facilitators, creating policies and providing support to enable private enterprises to thrive. “Our private sector should be the one stepping up to the plate because, outside of the vulnerabilities of agriculture, its profitability is unquestionable,” Duggins said. He noted that the private sector, with its creative energies, should take the lead in research and technology development, with governments providing the necessary policy framework to harness these efforts.

Green pointed to ongoing discussions and some progress in attracting private investments to Jamaica’s agriculture sector. He cited the recent unveiling of a $15-billion investment in a state-of-the-art poultry processing plant — the largest, single agricultural investment in Jamaica’s history. This facility, the first of its kind in the Caribbean, integrates advanced technology and full-line processing capabilities, serving as a model for future investments.

To further encourage private sector participation, the Government is developing new agri-parks in Amity Hall, Parnassus, and Essex Valley. These parks, supported by billions in government infrastructure investments such as irrigation systems, will include storage and processing facilities.

“Once we do the infrastructure we want the private sector to come in and invest,” Green said, stressing the need for more large-scale investments to modernise the sector.

Green also highlighted the potential for Jamaica’s Diaspora to play a critical role in agriculture. He encouraged Diaspora partners to channel investments into Jamaican agriculture, leveraging their connections to attract funding and expertise.

“Part of what we want to do is go out into the Diaspora and say to some of our Diaspora partners, ‘Invest in Jamaican agriculture,’ ” he said.

The Government’s modernisation strategy appears to be driven by an understanding that traditional approaches are no longer sufficient. Jamaica’s reliance on food imports — accounting for approximately US$1 billion annually — underscores the urgency of creating a more self-reliant agricultural system. Further, challenges highlighted by Hurricane Beryl, which disrupted agricultural production and exposed vulnerabilities in the sector, have prompted the Government to accelerate its response.