A US Department of Agriculture (USDA)-sponsored project will seek to increase the yields of Jamaican ginger, turmeric and pimento (allspice) by 50 per cent as part of efforts to revitalise the country’s spice industry to meet existing export and domestic demands.

The project, dubbed the USDA Food for Progress Jamaica Spices, is set for launch Thursday, June 1, at the AC Hotel Kingston, with US Ambassador to Jamaica Nick Perry slated to attend. Additionally, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Floyd Green; Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority Peter Thompson; president and CEO of ACDI/VOCA Sylvia Megret; and chief of party for the USDA Food for Progress Jamaica Spices Dr Ronald Blake will also be at the project launch.

The USDA Food for Progress Jamaica Spices project will be managed by economic development-focused non-profit ACDI/VOCA over the next five years and will support 7,500 local agricultural sector stakeholders, including women, youth, and other marginalised people, involved in the farming of spices.

“We will also improve and expand the trade of ginger, turmeric, and pimento products by increasing their quality to meet international standards and connecting farmers and producer organisations with Jamaican and international buyers, achieving annual sales of $20.75 million, of which $14.5 million will be realised from exports,” a joint release from the USDA and ACDI/VOCA outlined.

“We will integrate climate-resilient farming systems that support farmers to use improved planting material and management practices on 2,250 hectares of land, sustainably increasing yields by 50 per cent,” it continued.

The Food for Progress programme helps developing countries and emerging democracies modernise and strengthen their agricultural sectors. Food for Progress has two principal objectives: to improve agricultural productivity and to expand trade of agricultural products.

Past Food for Progress projects have trained farmers in animal and plant health, helped improve farming methods, developed road and utility systems, established producer cooperatives, provided microcredit, and developed agricultural value chains.

To implement this project, the USDA and ACDI/VOCA will work in collaboration with key Jamaican spice industry stakeholders including the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries; the Rural Agricultural Development Authority; Agro-Investment Corporation; JACRA; Jamaica Promotions Corporation; micro, small and medium-sized enterprises; and farmer-based organisations.