From left, Manager for the National Certification Body of Jamaica, Mrs. Navenia Ford,  poses with the ISO 9001:2015 certificate along with the Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Pearnel Charles Jr; State Minister in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries,  Franklin Witter;  Acting Chief Executive Officer for the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Mr. Winston Simpson; and ISO Standards Ambassador for the Ministry of Industry, Investment & Commerce, Mr. Reginald Budhan at the ISO 9001:2015 Recognition Ceremony held at RADA’s Head office on Tuesday, December 13. 

The Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Pearnel Charles Jr, says the Rural Agricultural Development Authority’s (RADA) achievement of ISO 9001:2015 certification is a significant advancement for agriculture that will bring about greater production and efficiency.

After two successful audit processes, RADA successfully received ISO 9001:2015 certification status from the National Certification Body of Jamaica (NCBJ), which means that the agency is operating within globally recognized quality management standards developed by the International Organization for Standardization and is capable of offering products and services that consistently meet customer requirements.

Charles Jr., who was speaking at the ISO 9001:2015 recognition ceremony on Tuesday, December 13, at the RADA Head Office, said the certification is in alignment with the ministry’s Grow Smart, Eat Smart campaign.

“A large part of the Grow Smart, Eat Smart is centred around increased efficiency and productivity within the sector, and this is the way to achieve it. What does this look like? It means reduced wastage of resources through proper planning and intentional production as well as improved quality of products and services by applying best practices such as proper soil management and enhanced partnerships by engaging in discourse that will ultimately lead to mutually beneficial relationships for the betterment of this very critical sector,” Charles Jr. highlighted.

In addition to its connection to the Grow Smart, Eat Smart campaign, the agriculture minister also outlined that the certification provides Jamaicans with the assurance of high-quality service from the agency.

“It assures you (Jamaicans) that your needs will be adequately met, and also, there is a standard that you can use to hold RADA accountable,” he stated.

Charles Jr. charged RADA with ensuring that the agency maintains the ISO certification. He said he would be playing his part in assisting the agency with recognizing the importance of the maintenance and improvement of the standards established by the ISO:9001 2015 certification.

Meanwhile, Mrs. Roslyn Jackson-Richardson, Acting Principal Director Corporate Services at RADA, cautioned that the certification does not dictate how an organization should operate or what their objectives and policies should be. She outlined that the certification is grounded in four pillars called the PDCA cycle (Plan, Do, Check and Act), which will manage processes and systems for RADA.

“Continuous improvement is the order of the day, and we seek to be guided by this as we strive to improve our customer service and ensure that quality is at the centre of what we do all the time,” she said.

According to the agency’s Chief Executive Officer, Winston Simpson, RADA expects several positive outcomes from the ISO certification. These include improved internal management systems, less wastage of resources, increased productivity and improved customer retention and acquisition, among others,

It is understood that these positive outcomes will place RADA in a position to achieve the agency’s strategic objectives, such as enhancing agricultural service delivery, improving crop and livestock production, targeting new entrants and strengthening strategic alliances with local and international stakeholders.

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