The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries continues to focus on the transformation of the Research and Development Division, a key stimulant for production and productivity within the sector.

With applied research, the Division has the mammoth responsibility to provide problem-solving mechanisms for varied testing and evaluations, pest identification and management interventions suitable for our local conditions and context.

At the handover, Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr. gave remarks.

“These efforts are essential to reduce losses and ensure improved yields in addition to quality animal breeds among other innovations.

On this transformational path, we can attest to the rehabilitation and construction of new and improved facilities at the Bodles Research Station, under phase 1 of the project valued at some $926 million expended during the  2018 – 2022 period”.

He added, “this is significant achievement has been witnessed through the upgrades of existing facilities and development of new systems to include: re-establishment of a standardized milking parlour, improved feeding and housing systems for the Jamaica Hope Cattle, improved greenhouses, installation of irrigation systems among many others. Phase 2 will see the build-out at other stations.”

To this end, the Ministry recently procured and acquired two (2) Case IH Farm Haul Tractors at a value of $15.6M to replace the aging fleet of tractors at our research station.

These were handed over on Friday, June 24, 2022, by Minister Charles Jr. in the presence of the Permanent Secretary, Mr. Dermon Spence; Mr. Orville Palmer, Chief Technical Director and Mrs. Michelle Sherwood, Deputy Research Director and other senior technocrats in the Ministry.

The tractors are designed and developed with high technology that guarantees effective performance. They are also easy to maintain compared to other tractors on the market.

The enhanced services to benefit the Livestock Unit and Crop and Plant Protection Units will include:

• a 150 acre target for pasture development under the Pasture Redevelopment Project. We have to be smart on how to approach the impact of climate changes on forages.  Therefore this is a significant activity as the feeding of the animals is paramount in ensuring that we have healthy animals to produce more milk and to reproduce and increase the population.

Establishment of these pastures will also facilitate production of haylage and silage with expected yields of 14,000 tons per acre.   

• These tractors will be used to pull farm implements and establish seed production plots for hot peppers, pumpkins, sorrel, and other crops.
• The use of these tractors will also assist the research team to meet the 150lb seed target for hot peppers to result in approximately 970ha of hot peppers established giving a boost to the Ministry’s Production and Productivity Programme agenda.

In understanding the level of importance and integration of research and development into the improvement of crop varieties and breed of livestock, the addition of the new tractors is a welcomed asset.

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