Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., addresses a recent Plant Quarantine Exporters’ Forum at the Ministry’s offices in Kingston.
Kingston, Feb. 20 (JIS):
Work is to continue on the soil fertility mapping project in the upcoming fiscal year, with approximately $66.58 million allocated to the initiative.
The provision is contained in the 2023/24 Estimates of Expenditure, tabled in the House of Representatives recently.
The project, being implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, aims to increase productivity and the quality of agricultural produce, optimise farmers’ profits and enhance farming efficiency, while maintaining good environmental stewardship through an integrated soil management system.
Among targets for the upcoming year are the design of a GIS tool for soil fertility information, design and development of a web-enabled soil information system, training in soil and plant analysis, and conducting GIS application to soil mapping.
This is in addition to a public education and awareness campaign and the development of a comprehensive soil database, as well as upgrading of land-use mapping.
Achievements, up to December 2022, include training in soil and plant analysis and GIS software, digitisation of manual maps, and soil sampling and analysis in plot areas. The design of fertilisation recommendations was also 20 per cent completed.
Another $85.2 million is being programmed for the project in fiscal year 2024/25, and $51.9 million for 2025/26, if necessary.
The project, which is being funded by the Government of Jamaica and the Kingdom of Morocco, is slated for completion in September 2025.
