Greenhouse farmers get support from IICA for hurricane recovery

Twenty-four greenhouse farmers in St Elizabeth, Manchester, and Clarendon have received critical inputs to aid in their recovery from Hurricane Beryl.

The Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) provided the materials, which included greenhouse plastic, locking profiles for dismantling the structures, and seeds.

At a handing-over ceremony in Lititz, Manchester last week, Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, and Mining, Franklin Witter, expressed gratitude to IICA. He acknowledged their consistent support, stating, "It is comforting to know that we can rely on IICA for assistance during challenging times."

IICA is the Inter-American system’s specialised agency for agriculture, working to promote agricultural development and rural well-being in its 34 member states through international technical cooperation.

Witter also announced a government allocation of $165 million to support greenhouse growers impacted by the storm. Last week, the ministry symbolically distributed greenhouse supplies to mark World Food Day.

Hurricane Beryl, which passed south of Jamaica on July 3, 2024, caused extensive damage to the local greenhouse sector. A total of 236 greenhouses were destroyed, affecting 688,000 square feet of greenhouse space, with estimated damages of $856 million.

Jervis Rowe, president of the Jamaica Greenhouse Growers Benevolent Society, highlighted the importance of the sector, noting that greenhouses offer the ability to produce high-value crops consistently, something not easily achievable in open fields. He praised IICA's contribution, calling it a "big deal."

IICA's aid is part of a broader regional response to assist Caribbean countries affected by the Category 4 hurricane. Similar recovery efforts were made in Grenada, St Vincent and the Grenadines, and Barbados.

Kent Coipel, IICA’s representative in Jamaica, emphasized that while IICA is not a disaster relief organisation, it recognises the growing impact of climate change on agriculture and is committed to disaster mitigation and recovery efforts.

The assistance was drawn from IICA's newly established Hemispheric Fund for Agricultural Resilience and Sustainability. The institute is also developing a roadmap to help mitigate and adapt to climate-related disasters.