Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., (right), and Minister of State in the Ministry, Hon. Franklin Witter, examine goats while touring a farmers market at the Ministry, in Kingston, on Friday (March 31). The market formed part of activities staged for the launch of Farmers’ Month, being observed throughout April.
KINGSTON, April 3 (JIS):
Farmers’ Month is being observed during April to celebrate the yeoman’s work of Jamaica’s cultivators.
The official launch was held on Friday (March 31) at the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in Kingston.
Portfolio Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., who addressed the launch, encouraged Jamaicans to participate in the activities in support of farmers, whose contributions have assisted greatly in the country’s economic recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.
“To the farmers, you have made it possible for our country to experience a robust recovery, because the agriculture and fisheries sector contributed greatly to Jamaica being one of the only countries in the world that can say ‘we are better off today after COVID, based on our [economic outturns] than we were right before COVID’,” he maintained.
Several commemorative activities are slated to be held throughout the month.
These include the establishment of a garden at Randolph Lopez School of Hope in St. Ann on April 4; and the Jamaica 4-H Clubs Parish Achievement Day Youth Farmers Market and the Montpelier Agriculture Show, on April 10.
A market linkages networking seminar is scheduled for April 13 at the Jamaica Conference Centre, while the Praedial Larceny Watch initiative will also be launched on that day at the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) Grantham Group in Clarendon.
The activities also include the National Fisheries Authority Customer Appreciation Day on April 18 in St. Catherine; and a tour of the great Pedro Pond in St. Elizabeth on April 19. The St. Ann Agriculture Show will be held on April 28.
Farmers will also have the opportunity to take their livestock to be artificially inseminated at Minard Estate in St. Ann on April 26.
Minister Charles advised that farmers markets will also be held in all parishes.
April is designated to recognise Jamaica’s farmers for their tremendous contribution to Jamaica’s growth and development.
