Agricultural Business Information System (ABIS) is a web-based information system developed by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) to provide information on crops, livestock, markets and stakeholders to support the business of agriculture.

ABIS provides information appropriate to boost the capacity and competitiveness of stakeholders (primarily farmers) and provide better measurement of capacity and performance to Government.

The programme establishes and operates a database-driven system to process data on stakeholders and their activities, is a repository of technical information including new research, as well as tried and proven cultural practices, assists stakeholders in buying and selling produce and production inputs and forecasts key agricultural variables.

RADA farm-gate prices are updated online weekly by RADA marketing officers. The information entails the upper and lower prices of selected produce.

Reports on past prices and comparisons are available upon request. You can also visit the website http://www.radajamaica.com.jm and click on the farm-gate prices link or visit the ABIS website at www.abisjamaica.com.jm.

Backyard farming, more than a hobby

St Andrew homeowners Gladstone and Emma Hutchinson are reaping success from their backyard gardening project, harvesting pumpkins weighing up to 25 lb.

A graduate of Knockalva Agricultural School in 1948, Hutchinson said that as far back as he could remember, he has always done backyard gardening with moderate success.

"I've always planted something, callaloo, table tomatoes, corn, okra or bananas," he said, pointing out that he recently decided to try his hand at growing pumpkins.

According to Hutchinson, his first attempts at growing pumpkins were not as successful because there were problems with technique.

"The pumpkins would grow but wouldn't hold on the vine. They would just drop off after reaching a certain weight, even though they were not yet fit," he recalled.

It was only after talking to a few "country farmers" at the food market downtown and seeking advice from a Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) representative that things started to improve.

"The farmer and the RADA man told me to just put the fruit in a bag and tie it to the fence to secure it so that the weight of the pumpkin would not bear down on the vine," Hutchinson explained.

"Now the pumpkins are holding 'til they are fit," he said.

"The last one I picked I think weighed about 25 pounds. This one that I picked this week weighs nearly 23 pounds and there is another one coming, which looks like it might be bigger," he said proudly.

In terms of expanding his backyard garden, Hutchinson said he plans to build a greenhouse for the growing of tomatoes and other crops.

In the meantime, however, he will be sharing his pumpkin crop with his neighbours.

RADA has been encouraging backyard gardening in rural and urban areas to increase the self-reliance of households and improve nutrition.

Young farmers can look to loans

With the need for affordable financing being highlighted by farmers as one of their major challenges, the Ministry of Agriculture has established a Business Investment Centre to assist stakeholders in the sector to access credit under the 7.8 per cent Development Bank of Jamaica and PC Bank loan facilities.

Minister of Agriculture Dr Christopher Tufton said the objective of this investment centre, managed by the ministry's Agricultural Support Services Project, is to provide financial management assistance to help farmers and potential agricultural investors to transform their business ideas into bankable projects.

The centre's six-member team is trained to screen applicants' projects to ensure viability, prepare business plans and to link primary producers to available markets, in keeping with the ministry's drive to stimulate competitive agriculture.

Since it began operating in April 2007, the centre has facilitated the submission of loan applications valued at $140.3 million to PC banks across the island.