Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Franklin Witter (left); High Commissioner of Canada to Jamaica, Her Excellency Emina Tudakovic (third left); and Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Winston Simpson (second right), present supplies to 15-year-old small ruminant farmer and Oberlin High School student, Kaheim McLune (third right). The items, donated by Nutramix, were handed over to farmers participating in an ‘Internal and External Parasite Control Pilot and Farmer Capacity Building Session’ at RADA’s St. Andrew parish office on Old Hope Road on Thursday (April 27). Others (from second left) are: Country Coordinator for World University Service of Canada (WUSC), Nelsa English-Johnson; and Sales Manager at Nutramix, Samuel Jones.
KINGSTON, April 30 (JIS):
Scores of small ruminant farmers have benefitted from a parasite control training session to bolster their activities and help Jamaica move closer to its food security goals.
The ‘Internal and External Parasite Control Pilot and Farmer Capacity Building Session’ was held under the Sustainable Agriculture in the Caribbean (SAC) Project, which is implemented by the World University Service of Canada (WUSC).
The session, which focused primarily on goats, took place at the Rural Agricultural Development Authority’s (RADA) St. Andrew parish office on Old Hope Road on Thursday (April 27).
Bringing remarks at the event, Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Franklin Witter, noted the importance of safety in the small ruminant industry, while issuing a call for farmers to follow best practices.
“The small ruminant industry is a crucial one for attaining our goal of food security and we cannot put it at risk by showcasing poor parasite control and prevention,” Mr. Witter said.
“Therefore, as we continue to support you, small ruminant farmers, I charge you to also follow the proper procedures and protocols to prevent and control parasites. We are in the business of providing healthy food for consumption and our approach to internal and external parasite control is crucial to that endeavour,” he added.
The Agriculture State Minister noted that currently, 80 per cent of the goat meat consumed in Jamaica is imported “and we want to move it from there. We want to reverse it so that in the next couple of years, we’ll be able to import maybe just 20 per cent while we produce 80 per cent.”
High Commissioner of Canada to Jamaica, Her Excellency Emina Tudakovic, for her part, told the farmers that they play a critical role in the success of the agriculture industry.
“By empowering farmers through training and improved access to resources, we can help create a more equitable and sustainable future,” the Ambassador said.
During the session, ‘tech packs’ containing medications, antibiotic spray, disinfecting spray, thermometer, drenching syringe, among other things, were handed over to some of the farmers, courtesy of Nutramix.
The training also featured a practical demonstration with farmer participation, led by Nutramix.
The SAC project aims to increase the economic prosperity of women and youth in more sustainable agricultural markets in the Caribbean. Funding support for the project is provided by the Government of Canada through Global Affairs Canada.
