Pop-up relief for St Mary farmers

The Farmers’ Pop-Up, an initiative to assist southeast St Mary farmers whose crops and livestock were devastated by hurricanes Beryl and Melissa, has been widely welcomed by the community.

Held on Wednesday in the community of Scott’s Hall, the event, spearheaded by Member of Parliament for St Mary South Eastern, Christopher Brown, brought together farmers registered with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and offered direct assistance aimed at restoring and strengthening their operations.

At the pop-up, farmers received seedlings, tools, equipment and fertilisers as part of the MP’s agricultural allocation, intended to help them rebuild and expand farms ravaged by the back-to-back storms.

A highlight of the initiative was the on-site presence of RADA officers and marketing specialists, who engaged farmers on issues such as market access, improved production techniques, and other practical strategies for sustaining their livelihoods.

“It is a wonderful initiative designed to support our farmers, strengthen agricultural production, and build greater resilience within the farming communities of Southeast St Mary,” Brown said.

“I intend to carry this initiative to all the remaining divisions, including Belfield, Annotto Bay, and Richmond, shortly, so as to ensure that all the farmers across Southeast St Mary are engaged and provided with the necessary assistance to continue and upgrade their livelihood, following the devastation caused by both hurricanes,” he added.

Richard Henry, 72, speaking on behalf of dozens of farmers, described the initiative as timely, particularly given the rising cost of farm tools, fertilisers and seedlings.

“I am hoping that we will have more initiatives like this one going forward, which ensure that each farmer gets direct benefit and it is not a second-handed approach. Today, we received tools, fertilisers, seedlings, and equipment on the spot to assist us going forward,” said Henry.

Gareth Davis Sr