The Government, in partnership with the World Bank, officially launched the AgriConnect Jamaica initiative on Wednesday (April 29).

The programme aims to transform smallholder farming from subsistence-level activity into sustainable commercial success.

Jamaica is among the first countries to implement this flagship initiative, which seeks to connect 300 million farmers globally and strengthen agricultural value chains by 2030.

Speaking during the launch, held at the World Bank Jamaica Office in New Kingston, Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, emphasised that AgriConnect is a direct response to successful local models, such as the transformation of former bauxite lands in Content, Manchester, into thriving greenhouse hubs.

Locally, the initiative aims to reach 75,000 family farmers over the next four years, helping them achieve higher incomes, which the Minister noted is the core driver of the action plan.

“We embark on this mission through our action plan, which [rests on] three pillars: financing to build back better, integration into growth value chains, and technology-driven production. I don’t have to convince you why all of this is critical,” Minister Green said.

He emphasised that, as part of the action plan, the Ministry will work to strengthen the agricultural sector’s foundations and hard infrastructure, while expanding irrigation networks to support growth.

Focus will also be placed on skills training to ensure that beneficiary farmers view agriculture as a business.

The initiative will deploy new agricultural insurance products designed to address climate shocks, while integrating local agribusinesses, agro-processors, exporters, retailers, and the tourism sector to strengthen governance and capacity, particularly among family farmers and farming cooperatives.

“We’re going to be looking to see how we can revamp policies, and especially how we can leverage the World Bank to mobilise private capital for agriculture. It’s very important that agriculture and its transformation be driven by a… blended finance approach that can use innovative solutions to get to our smallholder farmers,” Minister Green said.

He noted that many smallholder farmers remain outside the country’s formal finance sector but expressed optimism that the AgriConnect initiative – supported by the World Bank and local stakeholders – “will be able to finally break the back of this challenge”.

“It presents a strategic platform through which we’re going to be advancing key national priorities around agricultural transformation; offers an opportunity to improve market access, strengthen our distribution systems, treat with some of the long-standing inefficiencies, and also help us treat with our climate vulnerability and bring more sustained agricultural production to Jamaica,” Minister Green said.

Meanwhile, World Bank Division Director for the Caribbean, Lilia Burunciuc, emphasised that Jamaica was selected as one of the first countries to join the initiative because of its strong potential and the critical role agriculture plays in the national economy.

“AgriConnect can help to power the agriculture sector towards resilience, innovation, sustainable growth… and its three pillars – strengthening foundations, revamping policies, and mobilising private capital – are tailored to Jamaica’s context,” she said.

Ms. Burunciuc noted that the World Bank is also working closely with its private-sector arm, the International Finance Corporation (IFC), to attract private capital.

She pointed out that this collaboration will ensure the initiative benefits Jamaica by mobilising all possible resources that can be invested into agriculture.