Building a brighter future through farming, technology and community leadership

Through agriculture, people from Johnson Mountain, Spring Bank, Mount Vernon, Somerset and Trinityville are expected to improve their ability to make a sustainable living and develop their communities. This hopeful expectation is based on the implementation of phase 2 of the EU/Christian Aid Sustainable Livelihoods Project at a cost of $46 million.

In Phase 1, a total of 300 persons directly received farming inputs, tools and training to help start or expand their farming businesses with significant benefits spilling over to an estimated 3000 persons in the communities. Project Coordinator Claudia Sewell is quite heartened by the progress that was achieved and how the communities improved so far. “As somebody who has invested time with community members it is a tremendous feeling to see the improvement and how they are changing and will change for the better and as an end result the community will develop, the parish will develop and by extension somewhere down the road, you know that as a country we will benefit,” she opined with passion.

In lauding the efforts of Phase 1 of the project, Head of the Delegation of the European Union to Jamaica, Ambassador Marco Mazzocchi Alemanni said he was particularly pleased with the impact of the project on small farmers, "By improving the quality of production among small farmers we are guaranteeing jobs, combating increasing food prices and investing in an industry that could be a major income earner for the Jamaican economy," he said.

Phase 2 of the project, which will be launched this month, will build on the solid achievements of phase 1 and promises a brighter day for the people of St. Thomas. Roy Lumsden community mobilizer from Spring Bank believes the project “will further boost the activities in the community… and people are upbeat.” He stresses that Spring Bank is “poised for development” given the upcoming phase 2 activities and the dedication of project staff. Lumsden is also eager to see “more young single women get involved with farming and receive support from the project.”

Some of the main activities coming up in Phase 2 include the implementation of business plans that were developed in phase 1; training in greenhouse technologies and building greenhouses for the planting of vegetables and the construction of check dams and irrigation systems. Certainly the communities will develop if beneficiaries take full advantage of the various development and technological activities in phase 2, says Sewell. “If you (farmers) can utilize the greenhouse all year round, then you can export throughout the year and earn foreign exchange,” she advised. The key benefit she says is the ability of farmers to deliver “consistent quality” produce. The implementation of an irrigation system “will also help farmers not to loose crops,” she adds.

The Project Coordinator emphasized however that the success of the initiative depends heavily on community cooperation and beneficiaries really utilizing what is provided. Indeed one of the main goals over the two-year Phase 2 period is to equip people to take on a leadership role in developing their communities hence training in leadership, management and community development will be offered. Other activities include the introduction of a livestock rotating scheme, upgrading chicken houses to accommodate layers and the planting of fruit and forest trees. The development project is being implemented by notable NGO the Women’s Resource and Outreach Centre WROC through their branch office in Morant Bay. For more information send emails to communications@wrocjamaica.org.