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Home | Government to Spend $6.4 Billion Over Six Years on Research Stations
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green makes his contribution to the 2024/25 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on May 21.
May 23 (JIS):
The Government has committed to spend a further $6.4 billion over the next six years for the continued rehabilitation of Bodles Agricultural Research Station in St Catherine and for transforming research stations in Montpelier, Orange River, Top Mountain and Hounslow.
Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, made the disclosure during his contribution to the 2024/25 Sectoral Debate in the House of Representatives on May 21.
“In fact, we will be starting construction on a $443-million state-of-the-art piggery at Bodles this month. This will provide Bodles with the capacity to further drive our pork industry as we expand into regional markets,” Mr. Green said.
Additionally, the irrigation infrastructure at Bodles will be upgraded at a cost of $130 million this year, and critical pieces of farm machinery will also be procured in the amount of $20 million.
Also, a total of $6 million has been allocated to design a state-of-the-art small ruminant house at the Hounslow Demonstration Station in St. Elizabeth.
“Through Research and Development, we will harvest hope and cultivate a better future. For years, agricultural research never made it to these speeches, but we would be foolhardy if we believe that we can grow our agricultural sector in a changing climate without adequate research,” Mr. Green said.
The Minister also announced that $10 million will be allocated towards an agriculture research incentive programme, to boost research in the sector across tertiary institutions.
Mr. Green said the Ministry has held discussions with the University of the West Indies with a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) to be signed shortly.
He noted that investing in agriculture is part of the Government’s policy direction to grow the sector.
“The idea is that students and lecturers who are doing advanced research in areas that align with the Ministry, will be able to garner financial support to undertake their research work. I want to thank the Youth Advocate Council, [which] suggested this as a part of the sectoral presentation,” Mr. Green said.
