KINGSTON, Jamaica — Governor-General, Sir Patrick Allen, has charged the country’s farmers to channel the spirit of resilience, which defines the Jamaican heritage,  into adopting bold innovation that will transform the sector and ensure its sustainability.

In a speech delivered on his behalf by Custos of Clarendon Edith Chin, on the first day of the Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show in the parish on Emancipation Day, Friday, the governor- general hailed the strength of the country’s farmers, noting that despite the challenges of drought, flood, hurricane, shifting seasons, and rising costs, they have always found ways to adapt and to triumph.

“Now is the time to channel that same spirit into a bold new era of agriculture, one that is smarter, more creative, and more resilient,” he said.

“This means moving beyond traditional methods to adopt climate smart technologies and these include things like precision irrigation, soil regeneration, integrated pest management, drought resistant crops, and sustainable water harvesting,” he outlined.

The governor-general said that the best of  the country’s heritage must be directed into innovating and transforming the sector and injecting new energy, noting that young people must be empowered to see farming as a viable future.

He contended that with the right training, access to land, capital, and mentorship, especially for young women and first-time farmers, “we can create a new generation of ‘agri-preneurs,’ who are digitally savvy, environmentally conscious, and business-minded.”

Hailing Denbigh as “a symbol of our shared resilience,” the governor-general  said that for over seven decades, the event has captured the strength, innovation, and enduring spirit of Jamaica’s farmers, who year after year, feed the nation and are the backbone of the economy.

— JIS