KINGSTON, Jamaica—The Government has allocated $776 million to advance work on the Southern Plains Agricultural Development (SPAD) project.

The provision is included in the 2026/27 Estimates of Expenditure, tabled by Minister of Finance and the Public Service Fayval Williams, in the House of Representatives on February 12.

The project is expected to provide access to irrigation water on fallow sugar lands, boosting agricultural productivity through the sector’s modernisation.

This will be achieved through the construction of wells and a canal network, along with the development of associated agricultural infrastructure in the arable areas of Amity Hall and Bridge Pen in St Catherine, and Parnassus in Clarendon.

Among the project’s achievements up to December 2025 are the completed drilling of three wells and yield testing in Parnassus, as well as the construction of pump houses, provision of electricity, and installation of fire suppression systems at the Parnassus well sites.

Additionally, completed areas under the project include capacity building for climate resilience and crop modelling; designs for agricultural buildings; irrigation infrastructure works at Amity Hall and Bridge Pen; a Gender Responsive Training Manual for farmer groups; and a Matching Grant Scheme Operations Manual.
Some 15 kilometres of farm access roads and drains at Amity Hall, and 25 kilometres at Parnassus, were also rehabilitated.

In addition, 3,000 metres of the Hartland irrigation canal system were restored, while the construction of a 20,000 cubic metre reservoir, pump house, and installation of UV sterilisation equipment at Amity Hall/Bridge Pen were completed.

The Parnassus irrigation infrastructure works are now 99 per cent complete.

For fiscal year 2026/27, the budgeted funds will be used to commence construction of agricultural buildings, including pack houses, and complete reinforcements to road and drainage infrastructure aimed at mitigating future flood damage.

The provision will also be used to procure drain cleaning equipment for the Agro Investment Corporation (AIC), install renewable energy systems, and activate and disburse funds to support farmers through the Matching Grant Scheme.

The project, which began in December 2019, is expected to be completed in March 2028.

It is being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, and is co-funded by the Government and the Caribbean Development Bank.

-JIS