JAMAICA HAS received more than 29.5 million euros under the European Union's (EU) Banana Support Programme.
The EU's Banana Support Programme is the local component of the Special Framework of Assistance (SFA) initiative for traditional African Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) suppliers of banana, which was introduced by the EU in June 1999 to improve the competitiveness of ACP banana producers and support diversification of the industry.
Agriculture and Land Minister, Roger Clarke, who was speaking at a Rural Diversification Programme (RDP) workshop held recently at the Terra Nova Hotel in Kingston, explained that the programme is aimed at promoting sustainable development in the traditional banana-growing areas of St. Mary, Portland, Clarendon, St. Thomas, St. James and St. Catherine.
TWO COMPONENTS
The programme has two components - the Banana Improvement Programme, which assists domestic and export banana and plantain farmers; and the RDP, which benefits ex-banana and plantain farmers who exited the industry within this last decade, as well as farm and port workers who were laid off.
European Union representative, Felice Zaccheo, in his address at the workshop, explained further that the RDP "aims to identify agricultural and non-agricultural opportunities for economic diversification that are sustainable, market-driven and innovative, and which will support those persons forced to exit the banana industry." It is estimated that the project will assist between 16,000 and 20,000 people.
He informed that the RDP had a financial commitment to date of approximately $669 million, and the total value of the support could reach $1 billion.
