Goverment of Jamaica

Protected Agriculture - Crop Bulletins


Protected Agriculture strategies have proven to increase certainty for food production through adverse weather conditions while providing viable alternative livelihood opportunities to rural communities. As the revitalization of the agricultural sector continues, the Ministry of Agriculture is adopting new technologies and farming techniques to meet the evolving needs of the sector. The United States Agency for International Development (USAID), in collaboration with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), has created a manual- Protected Agriculture in Jamaica, at a pivotal time in the development of Protected Agriculture in Jamaica.


As the Ministry is promoting the ‘Grow What You Eat and Eat What You Grow’ campaign and USAID is working to revitalize and support the protected agriculture sector, this reference manual serves to fill the technical gap in the industry.
It is a shining example of a bi-lateral donor and the Government of Jamaica collaborating to meet a need within the extension service and with growers alike. It is a homegrown effort that will serve not only USAID projects but the people of Jamaica and stakeholders who are investing their time, resources, and expertise in the development of Protected Agriculture.


USAID must be commended for its contributions to the revitalization of ProtectedAgriculture through the ‘USAID Jamaica Business Recovery Project’ which since Hurricane Ivan has reintroduced greenhouse technology for the production of fruits and vegetables. Through those endeavors, Jamaica has seen an increase in the number of greenhouses from 10 to 86. There are now over 14 acres under production in protected structures, a number that is sure to increase within the next year. As the numbers of greenhouses in production increase, a training manual such as this is even more crucial to ensure growers are able to reach their full potential.

In addition, the USAID-funded Rural Enterprise, Agriculture and Community Tourism Project sought to develop the greenhouse sector and built improved steel versions of the greenhouses after Hurricane Dean. RADA and the Ministry of Agriculture are thankful for the Jamaica Farmers Access to Regional Markets (JA FARMS) program for the introduction of low-cost units and its work with small-holding farmers across the country. JA FARMS validated the technology with small farmers and introduced this alternate method of greenhouse farming to hillside farmers and spearheaded the creation of the manual.

Click Here to Download Training Manual (pdf)

ADDITIONAL CROP BULLETINS

Click here to view article on Investing in Greenhouse Horticulture

Feedback