How the National Irish Potato Programme can test Vertical Farming and Robotics in Jamaica

 “The National Irish Potato Programme has earned its reputation as a success story for Jamaican agriculture and in addition to that, it has become a model for our import substitution strategy, which we are also now applying to other crops such as onion

Minister without Portfolio in MICAF, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson speaking about the National Irish Potato Programme

Potatoes are set to get their far share of attention from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.

This as the MICAF (Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries) has decided to spend $50 million on the National Irish Potato Programme as reported in the article “$50M Provided For National Irish Potato Programme”, published August 26, 2017 By Tashion Hewitt Stennett, The Jamaica Information Service.

The announcement was made on August 24 2017 by Minister without Portfolio in MICAF, Hon. J.C. Hutchinson, at a national Irish potato stakeholders’ seminar at the National Irrigation Commission research station in Hounslow, St. Elizabeth.

 The aim is to provide money for pesticides and fertilizers to increase productivity by 11 per cent (equating to 17 tonnes per hectare and thus make Jamaica self-sufficient in our production of potatoes. Several government agencies, Private Sector companies and farm associations are already supporting the National Irish Potato Programme:

1.      PROPEL (Promotion of Regional Opportunities for Produce through Enterprises and Linkages)

2.      Newport-Fersan

3.      H & L Agro

4.      POPA (Potato and Onion Producers Association)

5.      RADA (Rural Agricultural Development Authority)

This $50 million is the first part of a $1.6 billion set aside for the National Irish Potato Programme to provide crop care and productivity support. Already the National Irish Potato Programme has achieved 99% sufficiency rate in local table potato production; so importation of potatoes may soon be curtailed.

National Irish Potato Programme - Potential testbed for Vertical Farming and Robotics in Jamaica

The National Irish Potato Programme can potentially become a model for other crops such as Onions, which already has an Onion Development Programme as noted in my blog article entitled “Why Onion Development Programme by Agriculture Ministry hints at Drought Resistant Crops in the Future”.

The National Irish Potato Programme will also strengthen contracts with farmers and establish training programs with 20 farm tours for farmers not involved in the training exercise. Cayman is already set to receive local Irish potatoes via a pre-clearance arrangement, so the farmers already have a set export market.

Global warming may mean Vertical Farming may be the future that attracts a younger generation into Farming as predicted in my blog article entitled “RADA says more young Jamaicans pursuing Farming - Agricultural Towers and Robotics”.

Jamaican farmers need to adapt their agricultural practices to meet this uncertain climate-change future.