FAO Representation

Projects

National projects

The projects that have recently been undertaken by the FAO in Jamaica include:

•  A study of the Agriculture and tourism market linkages to determine effective ways that samll farmers can access to the lucrative hotel sector.
•  Investigating the use of the Grameen bank model as a method for providing micro financing for Jamaican small farmers and agri-processors.
•  Developing a Disaster Preparedness and Emergency Response Plan for the local Agriculture sector.  This includes training government extension officers to use the FAO Livelihood Assessment Toolkit for imiproved post-disaster assessment for the sector.
•  The analysis of the beef and dairy industry value chain in Jamaica.
•  In direct response to the global food crisis, and as part of an FAO worldwide Initiative on Soaring Food Prices (ISFP), an input suply project to immediately boost local food production.  In line with Government's food security strategy, the focus was on root and tuber production.
• A rapid assessment of the effects of rising prices on the poorest quintiles.

Telefood projects currently being implemented include:

•  Introducing alternative cultivation techniques in 16 schools islandwide.
•  Developing commercial small scale beekeeping in 3 communities.

Other priority areas currently being developed for Jamaica include: 

•  Nutrition based learning using school gardens 
•  Water harvest and management and small scale irrigation.
• Use of cluster models for the dairy industry

Regional projects

Jamaica participates in regional projects in the following key areas:

• Early detection and prevention of avian flu influenza in the Caribbean.
• Promoting food security of CARICOM/CARIFORUM