\
Overview

In respect of resource procurement, the JDDB, with financing from the Ministry of Agriculture initiated in April 2008, a Dairy Sector Revitalization Programme aimed at raising productivity levels on dairy farms in order to increase the local production of milk from 14 million litres currently to 31 million and 55 million litres respectively by 2013 and 2017 respectively. A Project Coordinating Unit oversees the programme, the main components of which are:

  • Pasture Rehabilitation/Herd Improvement Loan Facility

    This component provides through the Development Bank of Jamaica (DBJ)/National Peoples Cooperative Bank Network (NPCB) working capital support targeted primarily at small/medium scale dairy farms. The facility was initiated with a fund of $50 million from the 2008/09 budget. Budgetary support during fiscal 2009 is expected to allow a widening of the reach of this intervention to facilitate lending to beef farmers to facilitate pasture and herd improvement
  • Investment Fund

    Aimed at promoting enhanced value chain alignment via public equity participation in vertically integrated joint stock farmer enterprises. The fund has been allocated seed capital of approximately $10 million from the 2009/10 Capital Budget and is managed by the DBJ. Applications from established cattle producer organizations should be submitted to the Jamaica Dairy Development Board.
  • Importation of Cattle Genetics

     To accelerate dairy expansion: The sum of $10 million has been allocated from the 2009/10 budget to initiate the import of embryos to augment the reduced numbers of dairy females. The Jersey breed, given its easy adaptability and compatibility with the local Jamaica Hope Breed of Dairy cattle is the preferred breed for importation. Importation will be limited to a period of three years.
  • Re-establishment of a National Progeny Testing Scheme for the Jamaica Hope Breed of Dairy Cattle

    In conjunction with the Cattle Breeders’ Society the Board is in the process of re-establishing a National Herd Recording Programme and a National Milk Testing Laboratory to streamline the genetic development of the Jamaica Hope. During fiscal 2008 a two-year agreement was entered into with the North Carolina State University for access to their Dairy Records Management System (DRMS).

  • Farmer Training

    A farmer training fund initiated through a $4 million allocation to the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) will be augmented during fiscal 2009 to strengthen their capacity for, and the delivery of improved technologies to cattle farmers.

  • Institutional Support to Producer Organizations

    A number of producer associations will continue to benefit through the provision of project-specific grants during fiscal 2009. These include the cattle breed societies and the Rhymesfield Dairy Cooperative

     
 
Coming Soon

The Jamaica Dairy Development Board will soon be providing a data entry form on this website through which Farmers can enter their farm data.
Copyright 2009 © Jamaica Dairy Development Board. All rights reserved.