Farmer seeks to revolutionise agricultural practices
Published:Tuesday | April 26, 2022 | 12:07 AMRuddy Mathison/Gleaner Writer
Dyermark Preservation Farms, born out of interest by its owner Lansford Dyer in emerging agricultural practices such as regenerative agriculture and sustainable intensification, is trying to revolutionise agricultural practices with a focus on producing organic foods and providing employment.
On a recent tour of the 20-acre Bog Walk farm with Jamaica Manufacturers and Exporters Association (JMEA) President John Mahfood, who sought to get an update on the progress of Dyermark Preservations Farms, Dyer outlined the genesis of the enterprise and his long-term plans for sustainability.
“We want to create an off-road multicrop form grounded in the principles of sustainable intensification and perm culture and positioned for vertical and horizontal integration,” Dyer said.
According Dyer, he is faced with the difficulty of accessing loans from the Development Bank of Jamaica and other facilities despite recent participation in the Jamaica Business Development Corporation International Labour Organization-sponsored formalising operations in the Jamaica Agricultural and Fisheries sector project.
“Some of the assistance needed is financing for a complete packaging house to secure an export licence, purchasing of various input materials, refrigerated box truck, a backstop for liquidity shortfall, and the rehabilitation of workers’ living quarters,” Dyer emphasised.
To this end, Dyer intends to collaborate on a pilot project in the areas of sustainable intensification and environmental preservation by establishing a model corporation using recycled plastic containers for growing vegetables, in addition to acreages of sweet corn, ginger, spices, ground provisions, production of honey, orchard crops, poultry and fish farming, sauces, herbs teas, nutraceuticals, and oils.
Yet another difficulty Dyer faces in achieving this is the collaboration with non-governmental organisations and the universities to establish a pilot project in the areas of sustainable intensification and environmental preservation.
Mahfood, while acknowledging Dyermark Preservation Farms as a promising entity, said it is in the early stages of the development but on the right trajectory with a certain amount of acreage of pepper and sweet corn.
“He has equipment in terms of backhoe and tractors, he has electricity in terms of solar, and he has water, and he has in place his management team, so he has in place the basics to produce more on the farm,” he JMEA president said.
Mahfood said his focus on ginger, ackee, and coconut oil are all good for the local and international markets while referencing the shortage of ackee on the international market.
He said the JMEA will be meeting with the DBJ to see how best the issue of financing for small farmers, a problem consistent with other farmers, can be addressed.