From Mule Pen to nerve centre for modern agriculture
Published:Monday | September 18, 2023 | 12:05 AMChristopher Serju/Senior Gleaner Writer
The National Irrigation Commission Limited, which is celebrating 36 years under the theme ‘Growing Beyond Our Roots’, has undergone a major transformation and chief executive officer Joseph Gyles awas happy to share some of the history of the premises at 15 Barrett Street, St Catherine last Wednesday, during the commissioning ceremony for the operation centre and Rio Cobre office.
It was used first for keeping mules and carriages, and so got the name Mule Pen, but over time developed into more than a storage area, evolving into a housing area for the garage operation of the NIC and is now the key operational base for the technical and engineering aspects of the commission.
“Today the National Irrigation Commission Limited operation stands as the nerve centre of modern agriculture where technology, water management and sustainable practices ensure the efficient production and distribution of water to our farmers. In the heart of this town, this operation centre stands as a testament to the collective determination of the commission to not only provide irrigation services to our farmers, but also to drive innovation and progress,” Gyles declared during the commissioning ceremony.
“As agriculture faces the challenges of an evolving climate, this facility will be the centre of engineering, technical operations that will guide the commission’s decision-making,” he continued.
Board member Theresa Turner-Flynn encouraged the NIC staff to use the building as a catalyst for positive change, a place where innovation and hard work lead to sustainable development, and already it is leading that charge.
The expansion included the installation of a 30-kilowatt grid-tied solar system that will generate about 141,000 kilowatt hours of energy which will result in savings of $7 million per annum. There are plans to add an additional 30 kilowatts which will result in further reduction of $3 million each year.
ith this transformation there are high expectations in terms of the anticipated output from the Barrett Street facility and Agriculture Minister Floyd Green indicated as much.
“When I say NIC have work fi go do, NIC will have a lot of work to be done,” he told the audience.