KINGSTON, Jamaica — Progress made under a memorandum of understanding (MoU) signed in 2015 between the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) and the National Association of Small Farmers of Cuba (ANAP), was the focus of recent talks between a JAS team led by President Norman Grant, and the newly appointed Cuban Ambassador to Jamaica, Inés Fors.

A release from the JAS this morning said the talks, which took place at the Cuban Embassy in Jamaica, explored the arrangement including an exchange programme geared at sharing best practices, technical expertise and farm technology.

JAS said that the parties discussed the possibility of Cuba hosting Jamaica’s National Farm Queen and Champion Farmers to expose them to the agricultural environment in that country as well as opportunities for Jamaicans to be offered scholarships in agriculture and rural development at Cuban institutions.

JAS said a delegation could travel to Cuba to solidify the agreements around May 17, 2018, National Farmer’s Day in Cuba.

According to the release, the number of small farmers in Cuba has increased significantly since the State allowed increasing privatisation in 2008 including leasing plots of fallow state lands resulting in boosted agricultural output.

The meeting reportedly canvassed techniques used by such farmers for disaster preparedness, in the context of Jamaican farmers having recently experienced severe damage and losses due to the heavy rains in recent months.

Grant, in his observations at the meeting, reportedly noted that the JAS is committed to the implementation of the initiatives and proposed agreements under the MoU.