LAST YEAR was tough for 32-year-old Dwight Davids and 29-year-old Howard Tate.
Still reeling from the loss of $80,000 worth of equipment to thieves, Mr. Davids, a farmer in Rosemount, St. Catherine, was again hit hard by Hurricane Ivan, which wiped out his callaloo, pepper, orange and scallion crops. Mr. Tate, a farmer of Lakes Pen, St. Catherine, suffered a similar fate.
But since then, they have received a boost from the Rural Economic Agricultural Programme (REAP).
Initiated last October in several parishes, a month after the passage of Hurricane Ivan, REAP is run by charity organisation, Food For the Poor, in partnership with the United States Department of Agriculture, the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE), various donors and the Church.
THOUSANDS BENEFITING
REAP has since helped 45,000 small farmers by providing seeds, fertiliser, tools, water and training.
"I had practically lost everything that I had planted, but I must give thanks to Food For the Poor for coming to my rescue," said Mr. Tate. "Since then, I have been given lettuce seeds, string bean seeds, red peas seeds, tomato seeds ... and so far I have eaten, sold and am making a living from my rejuvenated farm."
Mr. Davids, who is now part of a group of 30 farmers in his district who farm broccoli, said , "It means me good because at the time I did really need it." Mr. Davids added. "I would like them to help more farmers because a lot of farmers have land but not the support."
According to George Thompson, Food For the Poor's farm administrator, small farmers are not the only ones benefiting from REAP.
There is a Food For the Poor-sponsored agricultural project at the Tamarind Farm Adult Correctional Centre which, he said, is aimed at encouraging inmates to become interested in farming so they can leave prison with a new skill and money in their pockets.
There is also a project in some inner-city communities, which teaches residents how to grow vegetables where land space is limited.
"The overall aim is to put the small farmer in a position where he or she is more competitive," Mr. Thompson said. "This will allow them to keep more disposable income in their pockets. In addition to lowering the cost of production, it will also make them more efficient and effective."
