Karayan Holt (right) explains the fodder-based production system to Agriculture and Fisheries Minister, Floyd Green (2nd left); Councillor Whitney Smith Currie, ; Member of Parliament for St. Elizabeth South Eastern Frank Witter; Dionne Clarke Harris, Acting Representative, CARDI; and Dr. Osbil Watson, Chief Veterinary Officer, Veterinary Services Division;  during a tour of the Hounslow Research Station in St. Elizabeth on August 3, 2021. The occasion was the launch of the $50-million Small Ruminant Development Programme by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries aimed at increasing the quality and stock of goats and sheep.

Some 6,000 registered small ruminant farmers are set to benefit under the $50-million Small Ruminant Development Programme to be implemented by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

Through this programme, the Ministry will be introducing high quality live animals, a robust artificial insemination programme and multi-ovulation embryo transfer.

Noting that over a 5-year period, some 2.9 million kilogrammes of goat meat valued at over $1 billion was imported into the island, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Floyd Green, said the programme is about satisfying demand and food security.

“We want to ensure at least a 5% increase each year,” said Green, by continuing with the purchase and distribution of mature bucks, expanding breeding support to small ruminant clusters across the island and ensuring that there is an improved quality of goats to ensure rapid multiplication.

Green was speaking at the launch of the Small Ruminant Development Programme at Hounslow Research Station in St. Elizabeth on August 3, 2021.

“They will be able to get 1-3 inseminations of any breed of their choice, an ovum or embryo transfer and they are going to get that absolutely free of cost,” Green stated.

The Agriculture Minister said that through this programme, the Ministry will be aiming to ensure that there is breed improvement, technology transfer and capacity building to expand and sustain the industry.

The programme will also focus on the feed supply, feed improvement and feed management, provision of veterinary services and training for the farmers so that they will improve the quality of meat that they provide and get greater returns on their investments.

“We are going to be training our farmers in hygiene and safety standards, animal husbandry practices and linkages with service providers,” Green stated.

Additionally, the Ministry will be working with the private sector to help the small farmers in relation to management of their feed and with the veterinary association to ensure that farmers have access to veterinary services.

In keeping with the focus on training, the abattoir  at Bodles Research Station will be fully modernised and rehabilitated and will be refurbished and equipped as a training tool for best practices for meat processing, storage and packaging.

Noting that the Hounslow Research Station is underutilised, Green said that it has to become a centre of excellence for small ruminant research and training.

Green said it is critical that there is a robust training programme at Hounslow  and challenged the HEART NSTA , CASE and CARDI to work along with the Ministry to implement same, utilising high schools in the area to introduce students to proper practices in relation to the small ruminant industry.

The Agriculture Minister also called for increased focus on the value-added sector, pointing out that there was need for the development of training programmes around goat milk, and goat cheese production.

-30-

• ‹ Previous
• Next ›

Page