An $80-million lifeline is heading straight into the hands of small farmers still struggling to recover from Hurricane Melissa, as private donors step in to speed up the sector’s stalled rebound.

The American Friends of Jamaica (AFJ), in partnership with Hardware & Lumber Limited (H&L) and the H&L Foundation, has committed US$500,000 — roughly $80 million — under a Small Farmer Gift Card Programme designed to get up to 1,600 farmers back into production before the next crop cycle gains momentum.

Launched on Tuesday at the S Hotel in Kingston, the initiative aims to shift the focus from broad recovery pledges to targeted, on-the-ground spending. Each selected farmer will receive a $50,000 co-branded AFJ/H&L gift card, redeemable across H&L’s retail network, including H&L Agro and H&L Rapid True Value outlets, for seeds, fertilisers, chemicals, tools, and other essential farm inputs.

Chairman of the H&L Foundation Olive Downer Walsh said the partnership reflects a shared responsibility to stabilise the productive sector.

“At H&L, we believe collaboration is the engine for success in recovery. We’re proud to partner with American Friends of Jamaica, whose commitment to sustainable development and community empowerment inspires us to keep delivering the best solutions for the farmers and communities we serve. Together, we’re confident this initiative will strengthen our farmers’ work in building Jamaica’s food security. When we work side by side, everyone wins.”

Hurricane Melissa caused an estimated $30 billion in agricultural losses and affected approximately 70,000 farmers, with small operators in Westmoreland, St Elizabeth, Hanover, St James, and Trelawny among the hardest hit. For many, working capital disappeared overnight. Crops were lost, livestock perished, and planting schedules were thrown off course.

“This initiative represents a direct investment of $80 million into the hands of nearly 1,600 farmers across western Jamaica. It is targeted, practical support designed to help farmers replant, restock, repair, restart and rebuild,” AFJ Executive Director Caron Chung said.

“For many farmers, this was not simply a setback. It was a direct threat to their livelihoods. At the national level, it has been a threat to the nation’s food security.”

AFJ President Wendy Hart said the storm exposed deeper vulnerabilities within the sector.

“In the wake of Hurricane Melissa, we witnessed first-hand the devastating impact on Jamaica’s agricultural sector and when agriculture is disrupted, the effects ripple across markets, households and communities. Today, we launch the Small Farmer Gift Card Programme, which is an essential component of AFJ Rebuild,” Hart said during the official handover last week.

AFJ Rebuild is targeting five of the most severely impacted western communities, with a focus on restoring production capacity and strengthening resilience. Hart argued that recovery cannot rely on ad hoc interventions alone.

“Hurricane Melissa underscored the importance of strong systems, reliable data, preparedness planning and coordinated response mechanisms that accelerate recovery,” she said. “Implementation is everything. We do our best when we operate in partnership.”

An additional US$1-million seed donation from US-based NGO Back to the Roots is expected to further expand AFJ’s support to farmers in the coming months.

The programme is being rolled out in coordination with the Ministry of Agriculture, the Rural Agricultural Development Authority and the Jamaica Agricultural Society, which are assisting in identifying eligible farmers across the affected parishes. Distribution is scheduled to take place during February and March.

Agriculture Minister Floyd Green, who delivered the keynote address, said the intervention comes at a pivotal stage in the ministry’s second phase of recovery.

“This agricultural investment is important because agriculture drives our economy. And when agriculture does well, the country does well,” Green said.

He noted that many farmers had to first repair homes and stabilise their families in the storm’s aftermath before returning to their fields. With planting season approaching, he said, the injection of support could help prevent a deeper hit to domestic food production and sustain the recovery now under way.

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Floyd Green (left) speaking with president, American Friends of Jamaica, Wendy Hart (right), and farmers from St Elizabeth Tracia Powell (second left) and David Berry following the launch of the AFJ’s Small Farmer Gift Card Programme held on Tuesday at S Hotel, Kingston.