St Bess farmers happy with new completion date for agri project
Published:Wednesday | May 4, 2022 | 12:07 AMAinsworth Morris/Staff Reporter
Concerned farmers in St Elizabeth are now satisfied with the new date announced for completion of the long-awaited Essex Valley Agricultural Development Project (EVADP), following delays caused by the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic and the ongoing conflict between Ukraine and Russia.
At the Essex Valley Agricultural Development Authority’s community consultation meeting, which was held at Comma Pen Church of God of Prophecy, Comma Pen, St Elizabeth, on April 1 with Franklin Witter, minister of state in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, and Dermon Spence, permanent secretary in the ministry, it was announced that the project, which was slated for completion in June 2023, is now set to end in December 2023.
After much explanation as to why the time has been extended, the farmers have expressed satisfaction.
“I’m happy! I’m happy! Farmers in the area will benefit as a result of the irrigation water. It kind of delay based on the fact that COVID came in and they’re weren’t able to procure pipes and other apparatus that they need, but it still is on for 2023, and we’re satisfied with the new timeline,” Marcus Vassell, one of the farmers who stand to benefit, told The Gleaner.
Ralden Bellanfante, board member, National Irrigation Commission Limited, and farmer, also expressed his satisfaction.
“I’m looking forward to 2023. I’m pleased with it [the new timeline]. Looking forward for that day to come, knowing that when the pipe laying would start, and to know that when it starts, it will have an end,” Bellanfante told The Gleaner.
Female farmer from Comma Pen, Adaffalin Powell, is looking forward to the completion of the project in 2023 as well.
“I’m satisfied. I hope it will mature. For me, I was feeling down, because if I should recall [well], I could remember that from 16 of January, the prime minister came and broke ground for the well, and I was surprised to know that the pump don’t install, it’s only the well they did ... and it’s five years now,” Powell told The Gleaner.
“But I am pleased about the info that I got, although I was a little taken aback from before,” she added.
In an interview with The Gleaner, Spence said the managers of the project are pushing their activities to meet the newly proposed deadline date.
“There have been a little bit of concern about the delays, but the delays are as a result of the onset of COVID-19 pandemic and everybody is fully aware of the disruption that this has caused in the supply chain systems internationally,” Spence said.
He added: “A lot of the pipes and countenances that we’re getting are actually coming from China or other places abroad and so the disruption in the supply chain system has resulted in some delay.”
Spence explained that this project was conceptualised in early 2017 and since then, work has started in one shape or the other, and so, there is some impatience with its completion.
“Another factor which has caused delays is the escalation in cost. The project proposals and the necessary documents would have been prepared from that time, and one can understand that much would have caused the price of things to change between then and now,” he said.
EVADP aims to boost agricultural exports from Jamaica and drive growth in the sector by enhancing the productivity of farmers. This project, when completed, will bring water supply and support systems to some 700 farmers over 810 hectares of land.
As a follow-up to the EVADP’s community engagement held in October 2021, the project will embark on another community engagement. The objective is to keep members informed of the progress of the project and for the community to share their concerns.
EVADP is being funded with a £35,515-million grant from the United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Partnership Fund and managed by the Caribbean Development Bank.