KINGSTON, Jamaica--As part of efforts to strengthen the agricultural sector, the Jamaica government will be acquiring equipment from Cuba and relying on the expertise that country has in greenhouse technology.
Minister without portfolio in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, J.C Hutchinson, said Cuba has a wide array of agricultural equipment that “can drive agriculture” in Jamaica.
“We are looking to bring in some small processing machines to help farmers utilize crops that normally go to waste,” he explained.
Hutchinson said the watering of crops could also be made easier with technology from the Cubans: “They have irrigation systems that can help small farmers.”
He said the Cuban greenhouses are “affordable,” and with all the advancements that country has made in agriculture, “we need to look in that direction”. The minister stressed that with the agricultural sector forming part of government’s growth platform, “technological advancement and the increased use of appropriate implements are necessary to stimulate growth and productivity”.
Hutchinson pointed out that a major target in the industry is the expansion of value-added products, which is in keeping with the goal of developing a vibrant agro-industry.
