Skipjack News
Greenhouse Technology Incubator Project Launched in St. Ann, Jamaica
The Greenhouse Technology Incubator project, aimed at putting mined out lands in St. Ann back into agriculturally productive and profitable use, was officially launched today (November 23), at a press briefing, held at the Jamaica Bauxite Institute (JBI), in Kingston.

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Minister State in the Ministry of Energy and Mining, Hon. Laurence Broderick (standing left) and Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Dr. Christopher Tufton (standing right), look on as (from left): Chairman, Noranda Jamaica Bauxite Partners, Mr. Larry Holley; Director, Jamaica Bauxite Institute, Mr. Parris A. Lyew-Ayee; Mission Director, United States Agency for International Development (USAID), Dr. Karen Hilliard and Project Manager, USAID Jamaica Farmers Access to Regional Markets project, Mr. Wes Moses sign an agreement for the Greenhouse Technology Incubator Project, in St. Ann, which was launched at the Jamaica Bauxite Institute, today (November 23).
Speaking at the press launch and signing ceremony, Executive Director of the JBI, Mr. Parris A. Lyew-Ayee, explained that the JBI has been working for many years on scientific studies to show how bauxite reclaimed lands can be used productively.

"We have demonstrated, without a doubt, that with proper management, with good technical knowhow and proper use of water, that this can be done and one of the avenues we realised pretty early was the use of greenhouses," Mr. Lyew-Ayee said.

Under the signed agreement JBI, Noranda Jamaica Bauxite Partners, (formerly St. Ann Jamaica Bauxite Partners), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) , and CDC Development Solutions (CDS), the participants intend to: establish a small farmer protected agriculture cluster on mined out lands managed by the Noranda Jamaica Bauxite Partners (NJBP) in Water Valley, St. Ann; and establish alternative income generation opportunities to both complement and improve the income earning capacity of farmers impacted by mining.

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Find out more about FARMS ( Farmers Access To Regional Markets): http://www.myfarms.net