Jamaican Ministry of Agriculture collaborates with NCU; aims revitalization of Dairy sector

Jamaican Ministry of Agriculture, Mining and Fisheries has collaborated with the Northern Caribbean University, to create 40 acres of fodder for usage in the dairy sector.

Agriculture Minister, Floyd Green has made this announcement at the Jamaica Dairy Development Board (JDDB) at Mandeville during the NCU Revitalization Project Launch. He stated that the ministry will collaborate with NCU to elevate the overall dairy output of the country.

Ministry of Agriculture sanctioned a few Jamaican Hope cattle, one of the most abundant and milk-yielding varieties of cow on the island, to the university. This has been done with the intention to construct a dairy parlour.

Elevating the dairy sector will help Jamaica receive monetary benefits from around the globe with the exports and also increase employment opportunities in the country as large-scale production will engage more people.

Minister Green outlined the need to increase production of milk, to help Jamaica regain its position as a globally leading dairy sector. He stated that there is a need to look after the fodder banks and keep a check on the type of grass best suited according to climate.

There should be a increase in training programs in NCU, so that if anyone needs technical assistance in their areas, they can seek help from NCU, suggested Minister Green. He hoped that the next generation of agriculturalists will be trained by NCU.

Green acknowledged the challenges faced by the dairy sector and promised to look for resolutions and improve the conditions. He explained that in the initial stages, research work is needed to ensure the quality of bred cattle and confirm their efficacy, and later, the decline in the quality of livestock will be reversed through new technologies like artificial insemination. NCU’s President, Dr Lincon Edwards, expressed his readiness to achieve the goals in collaboration with the Jamaican Ministry of Agriculture. This initiative will lower the import bill and also cater to the nutritional needs of the population.

JDBB, in collaboration with NCU, aims to create a vertically integrated dairy management system which focuses on animal care, reproduction, milking and other dairy-derived products