MANDEVILLE, Manchester – Some 20 farmers in Content near Williamsfield in this south-central parish have been reaping benefits from a greenhouse cluster project targeting mined-out lands.

Member of Parliament for Manchester Central Rhoda Crawford and Minister of Transport and Mining Audley Shaw recently toured the Content Greenhouse Cluster, which has been in operation from 2017 under the Jamaica Bauxite Institute/ Jamaica Social Investment Fund Greenhouse Cluster and Water Harvesting Project.

The project is a part of the Rural Economic Development Initiative funded by the World Bank.

According to Shaw, the project is an impressive local example of sustainable land use in post-mining areas. “I look forward to its further development and its continued impact on our communities and our island,” added Shaw.

In the meantime, Crawford said farmers in the Manchester Central constituency, which she represents, have benefited from the initiative.

“This fits in nicely with my general plans to provide assistance to the farmers in the constituency,” said Crawford as she noted that more than 220 farmers in her constituency have benefited from grants and the distribution of water tanks.

She added that roads in farming communities are being repaired.

“…We have rehabilitated farm roads and intend to do two more (roads in) farming communities in this fiscal year. As the new fiscal year commences, we will be undertaking several projects to respond to the needs of our farmers,” added Crawford.

— Kasey Williams