Farmers across five parishes to benefit from $3.6-million COVID-19 project

A total of 80 farmers operating in five parishes are set to benefit from agricultural inputs valued at $3.6 million under phase two of the Agri Resilience Response to COVID-19 project.

Under the initiative, being funded by United Way of Jamaica and implemented by the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), the farmers will receive 70,000 vegetable seedlings, 300 fruit trees, fertiliser, and technical support.

The beneficiaries are drawn from the parishes of Kingston, St Andrew, Portland, St Ann, and Clarendon.

Speaking at the recent virtual launch of the project recently, chief executive officer of United Way of Jamaica, Winsome Wilkins, said the support is aimed at safeguarding the country’s food security as the nation continues to cope with the pandemic.

“Despite all that is happening, we must feed ourselves, and food security is very important and the agricultural sector must grow. With resilience and focus, we will overcome,” she noted.

Chairman of United Way, Dr Marcia Forbes, said that at the onset of the COVID-19 crisis in March, the group sought to deepen its long-standing relationship with the JAS, with a commitment to sustain the viability of the farming sector.

“This is a time for all hands to be put on board to pull Jamaica forward during this very difficult time,” she said.

She urged donors to “continue to be loyal givers, so that they can provide important support to the JAS and other sectors”.

First vice-president of the JAS, Denton Alvaranga, for his part, hailed the partnership with United Way for the benefit of the country’s farmers.

He noted that United Way “has a mission to mobilise resources to transform lives throughout Jamaica, while the JAS’S mission is to ensure that farmers are provided with services from the Government and other agencies”.