A TRAINING programme has been established for farmers to improve their sheep and goat breeding and management practices.
Minister of Agriculture and Lands, Roger Clarke, on Monday launched the Small Ruminant Industry Development Training Programme at the Bodles Agricultural Research Station in Old Harbour, St. Catherine.
The programme is being hosted by the Ministry's Research and Development Division and targets both new and experienced farmers.
"The importance of us really getting into some serious production is borne out of the fact that between 2001 and 2005 we imported some 17.9 million kilograms of sheep and goat meat into the country at a cost of $2 billion. That is a substantial amount of money that could be saved in terms of foreign exchange," he stressed in his address to the farmers.
SUPPLY FROM LOCAL FARMERS
Mr. Clarke pointed out that the supply from the local farmers was about 16 to 18 per cent of demand, while the island has a large amount of acreage able to be utilised for production.
"Having taken the decision that we are going to support this new thrust, through the Ministry, we allocated some $50 million towards this project, with additional support from the Agricultural Support Services Project (ASSP)," he said.
According to the Minister, some 78 full-blooded (Dorper) sheep have been imported into the island at a cost of about
$8 million to boost cross breeding, and a total of 218 cross bred animals have been distributed to farmers for starter herds.
OBJECTIVE OF THE TRAINING PROGRAMME
Jasmin Holness, deputy director in the Ministry and moderator for the training programme, said the objective is to expand the industry by 15 per cent over a three-year period through the generation of improved genetic stock.
She explained that the training programme would be carried out in five modules with module one being introduced as part of the launch. Mrs. Holness said other training sessions would take place on June 29 at the Knockpatrick Demonstration Training Centre in Manchester. on July 20 at the Hounslow centre in St. Elizabeth, and on August 24 at the Bodles Research Station.
