February 25, 2025
Westmoreland farmers get help to combat dry season
AS part of efforts to build the climatic resilience of south coast farmers, Sandals Foundation has partnered with Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and Isratech Jamaica Limited to provide drip irrigation training and infrastructure to farmers in and around the Beeston Springs community.
Ten farmers from the communities of Cave Mountain, Robins River, Beeston Springs and Bluefields last Friday received technical and practical training on the installation of drip irrigation to support production in their fields throughout the current dry season, which runs December to April.
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The intervention, valued at just over $4 million, forms part of Sandals philanthropic arm’s Westmoreland Irrigation Project and will also see each participant receiving irrigation hoses with emitters, 1,000-gallon water tanks, and other key resources for an irrigation infrastructure to support a quarter acre farm lot.
“Strengthening the capacity of our island’s food producers to sustainably provide for their markets and families requires an investment in climate-adaptive technologies. Drip irrigation provides an efficient method to maximise on limited water supply — especially during the dry season — and we are happy to support our farmers in this respect,” said Sandals Foundation’s Environmental Manager Georgia Scarlett.
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Leading on irrigation best practices training, Everton Robinson, manager of the Farm Water Management Unit at RADA, said: “There is a direct correlation between best practices, efficiency, and productivity. By sharing with farmers how they can operate, maintain, and troubleshoot glitches with the technology, we can make life easier for them.”
Noting that no one approach is universal for all, Robinson added: “We like to have conversations with farmers and understand the cultural practices they employ. Where possible, we always try to integrate that information into the irrigation technology to encourage their continued development.”
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An irrigation demonstration plot has been established at Beeston Spring Greenhouse, built by Sandals Foundation, to support installation training.
Over the next week Isratech will provide additional capacity building as it installs the infrastructure on the farms of participating farmers.
“Our team will provide hands-on training, ensuring that farmers understand how to set up, operate, and troubleshoot their systems effectively. Empowering [them] with these skills minimises water loss, optimises crop yields, and reduces operational costs — particularly during the dry season when water conservation is crucial,” said Patricia Grant, marketing manager at Isratech Jamaica Limited.
“By combining education with practical implementation, Isratech aims to equip farmers with the knowledge and confidence to sustain their irrigation infrastructure for years to come,” added Grant.
The Westmoreland Irrigation Project forms part of Sandals Foundation’s intensified food security programme.
Over the last five years the foundation has been building the capacity of students, farmers, agriculture training institutions and communities in climate-smart technology, training and research so as to bolster the ability of Caribbean islands to produce more of what they grow.
