PNP bats for women in agriculture, to set aside $9 billion

People’s National Party (PNP) candidate for St Elizabeth South West, Miranda Wellington, says women will be at the heart of a $9 billion plan to revive Jamaica’s agricultural sector under the next PNP Government.

Speaking at a PNP Women’s Movement rally at Manning’s School in Westmoreland on Sunday, Wellington declared that the party has a plan for women in agriculture.

“I represent the breadbasket parish of St Elizabeth and one of the strongest farming communities, South Western St Elizabeth,” she told cheering supporters.

Wellington said the PNP’s $9 billion Agricultural Fund will “bring back agriculture in this country” and is focused on increasing food production, training women, and creating jobs in rural areas.

“The plan for women in agriculture is to empower them and to nurture back this nation to a solid foundation, supporting the school feeding programme,” she said.

Wellington explained that the plan includes “training young women in entrepreneurship and in technological advancements in farming,” and will ensure that “our women get back lands to produce again.”

“Women in agriculture, especially in rural areas, will have access not only to land, but also to the opportunity to bring back small businesses from the background,” she added.

She called women the key to national transformation.

“Women’s empowerment in agriculture will allow you to send your children back to school,” Wellington said, noting that women will be able to support their families through farming.

“Once we empower women back into agriculture… in entrepreneurial advancements… we are setting the right standards for this country today,” she declared.

- Albert Ferguson

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