KINGSTON, Jamaica — Some $20 million has so far been issued to the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries for a special incentive programme for land preparation.

Portfolio Minister, Pearnel Charles Jr, said: “During my sectoral presentation, we made a commitment to support new farmers through this programme, at a value of $63 million, and I wish to announce that the first tranche has been issued to RADA by the Ministry.”

Under this programme, the Ministry will undertake the costs to prepare up to one acre of land for 5,000 farmers, especially youth and women.

Charles Jr informed that, “Farmers can now immediately contact their RADA offices to have their first acre of land prepared free of cost under the Grow Smart, Eat Smart production programme.”

He said that there will be a continued push to have the remaining funds distributed, in short order.

The Minister was speaking at a handing over ceremony on Wednesday for two backhoes to RADA, to support land-preparation activities in farming communities. The backhoes have been assigned to St Thomas and Westmoreland.

The delivery of the equipment was also announced in the Minister’s sectoral debate, where he outlined that six tractors are to arrive in the island, at a value of $90 million. These are to be placed in the ‘high-producing’ parishes of St Thomas, St Elizabeth, Manchester, Clarendon, St Ann and St Catherine.