Farmers across Jamaica are being encouraged to test soil pH as a critical step in improving crop productivity and getting better value from fertiliser use. Testing determines if soil is too acidic or alkaline, which directly impacts nutrient availability and prevents over fertilisation. Soil Fertility Specialist, Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Dennis Joosse, tells JIS News that understanding soil...

When 42-year-old Kayanne Cole decided to go into farming, she did not know how to properly use a machete. She had never cleared land, never planted a crop and never imagined herself operating a farm. “I knew absolutely nothing about farming,” Miss Cole tells JIS News. Just over two years later, the financial advisor and mother of two is cultivating...

The National Animal Identification and Traceability System (NAITS) will be expanded in the new financial year to include the tagging of goats. The system administered through the Veterinary Services Division (VSD) in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, is currently focused on cattle. “We're moving certainly, in the next financial year, to start tagging goats,” Acting Chief Veterinary Officer...

The amended Agricultural Produce Act (APA) now requires all individuals involved in the production, trade, and distribution of agricultural goods to register with the Agricultural Business Information System (ABIS). This expanded registration requirement forms a core part of the Government’s strategy to combat praedial larceny and enhance the overall management of Jamaica’s agricultural sector. ABIS, developed in 2005 by the...

At just 24 years old, Chad Campbell is proving that technology and determination can transform agriculture. Through his business, C.N.C Hydroponics Estates, which he started on his rooftop, he produces fresh leafy greens year-round, currently focusing on lettuce. Mr. Campbell told JIS News that he identified a gap in the market caused by Jamaica’s unpredictable weather. “Farmers weren't able to…produce...

The love for farming and irrigation access have been cited by farmers on the Parnassus Agro-Park in Clarendon as reasons they returned to their fields after the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa on October 28. The Parnassus Agro-Park falls under the Southern Plains Agricultural Development (SPAD) Project, which utilises former sugar lands for agricultural production in Clarendon and St. Catherine....

In the wake of Hurricane Melissa’s devastation on October 28, farmers across Jamaica were left to count their losses. However, at the Amity Hall Agro-park in St. Catherine stands a beacon of resilience through the efforts of Codrick Farquharson, who has not only picked up the pieces, but is aggressively moving towards harvest. Mr. Farquharson, who is President of the...

The ‘FarmHers’ Market, held recently at the Ministry of Culture, Gender, Entertainment and Sport in New Kingston, provided a platform to celebrate and empower women who are contributing to Jamaica’s agricultural and agro-processing sectors. The event, held in observation of International Day of Rural Women (IDRW) 2025, was hosted by the Ministry in partnership with the Bureau of Gender Affairs....