Economic Diversification for Jamaica

EXPLORING THE VERSATILITY OF HONEY & BEESWAX:  Hon. Roger Clarke (2^nd left), Agriculture Minister; Dr. Morais Guy (left), Member of Parliament for Central St. Mary and Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Housing; Jacqueline Johnson (2^nd right), Executive Director, Food For The Poor Jamaica; and Shaun Baugh, Director, Corporate Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation / RADA-European Union Banana Support Programme Coordinator, were impressed with the display of products made from honey and beeswax in Esher, St. Mary. They were at the May 16 closing ceremony of the Economic Diversification Programme for Banana Producing Parishes in eastern Jamaica. The event took place at the Esher Seventh Day Adventist Church. Under the Economic Diversification Programme, 40 small farmers in the traditional banana producing areas of Esher, St. Mary and Somerset, St. Thomas were provided with materials, training and technical support necessary for sustainable production of scotch bonnet peppers, goats and honey. The honey and peppers reaped by the farmers have a total estimated value of J$ 6.14 Million.The Programme was financed by the European Union and implemented by Food For The Poor, with the Rural Agricultural Development Agency (RADA) and the Ministry of Agriculture serving as partner agencies.

PEPPER PRODUCTION IN ESHER:  St. Mary farmer Omar Morris (squatting) discussed his good yield of scotch bonnet peppers with Agriculture Minister Hon. Roger Clarke (4^th right). They were on a tour of Mr. Morris’ farm in Esher, during the May 16 closing ceremony of the Economic Diversification Programme for Banana Producing Parishes in eastern Jamaica.  Participating in the farm tour were (from left) Thomas Opperer, Head, Rural Development & Infrastructure, European Union Delegation; Dr. Morais Guy, Member of Parliament for Central St. Mary and Minister without Portfolio in the Ministry of Transport, Works and Housing; Dr. Winston Green, Member of Parliament for South Eastern St. Mary; Jacqueline Johnson, Executive Director, Food For The Poor Jamaica; Shaun Baugh, Director, Corporate Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation / RADA-European Union Banana Support Programme Coordinator, and Howard O’Hara, RADA Parish Manager, St. Mary. The Programme was financed by the European Union and implemented by Food For The Poor. Mr. Morris was one of 40 small farmers in the traditional banana producing areas of Esher and Somerset, St. Thomas who were provided with materials, training and technical support necessary for sustainable production of scotch bonnet peppers, goats and honey, under the Programme. The honey and peppers reaped by the farmers have a total estimated value of J$ 6.14 Million.