November 1 (JIS): The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining is embarking on an islandwide stakeholder engagement drive to highlight the various investment opportunities in the sector and initiatives in place to help farmers boost production. The drive, which commences on Thursday (November 2) in Kingston and St. Andrew, is part of activities to celebrate Eat Jamaican Month in November. “We will be on the road, going from parish to parish for the next six weeks. Now, more than ever, our farmers and fishers need to hear from us directly as we seek to increase the production of crops and livestock,” said portfolio Minister, Hon. Floyd Green. “We have new agro-parks coming on stream and we will be using the stakeholder engagement to promote new investment opportunities,” he shared. Minister Green added that the opportunity will also be used to educate farmers about the new programme offerings of the Ministry and its agencies, private-sector health insurance and crop insurance plans, and loans that are available to them. He was speaking at a post-Cabinet press briefing at Jamaica House on Wednesday (November 1), where he urged Jamaicans to eat more locally produced food. He said that now more than ever, farmers, fishers and agri-entrepreneurs need the support of citizens. “Our farmers have faced the most difficult drought ever recorded in the history of our country and now we are going through short bouts of intense rainfall, which, unfortunately, is leading to flooding and displacement,” he noted. The month’s activities commence today with a meeting of the Food Security and Agribusiness Council. Mr. Green advised that the meeting will focus on the refinement of the terms of reference of the Council, the Ministry’s buildout of 3,000 acres of orchard crops over the next three to five years, and the aquaculture push under the new FACE of food initiative. FACE is the acronym for Food Security, Agribusiness Development, Climate Smart Technologies and Export Expansion. “Eat Jamaican Month helps us to drive food security, which is part of our new FACE of food strategy, as we attempt to change our consumption patterns from a diet of largely imports to that of local production, while reminding the world that we do have the best food in the world,” Minister Green said. Eat Jamaican Day will be observed on November 24 at the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) in Portland. The event will feature an official ceremony, with special awards for farmers, and an expo showcasing Jamaican delicacies.

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