Fund Jamaican Farmers in Climate-Smart Aquaponics

INMED Caribbean is excited to partner with Jamaica 4-H Clubs to implement the INMED Aquaponics^® Social Enterprise (INMED ASE) in Jamaica. It is the first INMED ASE to be launched beyond South Africa, where it has been scaling throughout the country. 

The INMED ASE is an expansion of the Increasing Access to Climate-smart Agriculture (IACA) program that INMED Caribbean has been facilitating over the past four years in Jamaica. Like the IACA program, the INMED ASE will continue to provide technical and business training, access to affordable financing and links to markets to help smallholder farmers increase their capacity and incubate entrepreneurial agro-enterprises. The INMED ASE will be operated out of a hub farm, which will operate commercial aquaponics systems for training and producing crops for sale and will serve as a consolidation center for smallholder farmers to sell their harvests at much higher rates than they would get on their own. The farm will also offer significantly discounted inputs, such as seedlings, fingerlings and fish food as well as consulting services. The revenue generated from the INMED ASE business lines will make the enterprise self-sustaining and will provide funding for the programs. 

The INMED ASE hub farm is located on a 14-acre parcel of land owned by 4-H in Clarendon, where INMED Caribbean implemented commercial aquaponics systems in five communities hit hard by severe climate change events in 2020. "Like aquaponics, our partnership with Jamaica 4-H Clubs is a symbiotic relationship," said Sherica Campbell, Program Manager of INMED Caribbean. "The 4-H mission to cultivate youth in agriculture perfectly aligns with INMED's goal of providing training and adaptive agriculture skills development for vulnerable youth to achieve well-being and self-reliance." The partnership will also help INMED Caribbean increase its support of the farmers in Clarendon.

INMED Caribbean also implemented its first starter aquaponics system at a 4-H Club facility in urban Kingston to serve as a model and teaching tool for training youth in climate-change awareness, adaptation, sustainable food production, entrepreneurship and agricultural innovation. Jamaica's Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Pearnel Charles, Jr., recently visited the site for a demonstration and expressed his support for the initiative.

"This starter system is well placed to serve inner-city youth, while demonstrating how aquaponics is ideal for urban agriculture," says Campbell. A launch event for the INMED ASE in Jamaica will be held in May.

Links:

• AgroBuzz radio interview with Villette Kelly-Bennett, Jamaica 4H

Since our last report in September, more than 100 individuals have taken our INMED Aquaponics® training, reaching more than 300 future farmers trained in 2021. The training consisted of online and hands-on training at one of our INMED Aquaponics® systems in Clarendon.

INMED Caribbean has also forged several partnerships to provide additional support to the five Clarendon cooperatives to help them increase capacity and scale their impact for the future. Partners that are supporting the Clarendon aquaponics farmers include:

•       Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA): Agricultural enterprise training and technical assistance for participants
•       Social Development Commission (SDC): Governance and leadership training as well organizational assistance for participants
•       Ministry of Economic Growth & Job Creation (MEGJC): Funding and policy support for adoption of aquaponics farming operations
•       Community Development Committees (CDC): Participating communities of Aenon Town, Alston, James Hill, John’s Hall and Ritchies in Northern Clarendon

We’re happy to report that all of the INMED aquaponics systems in Clarendon are producing bountiful harvests. All have provided food security to their communities during the COVID-19 pandemic, especially the donations of fresh produce to local hospitals and soup kitchens. And, despite a second round of devastating floods in Aneon Town, our INMED Aquaponics® system remained resilient. 

Another exciting development is a new partnership with 4-H Clubs Jamaica, which is helping INMED Caribbean launch its new starter system and training program for residential farmers and youth. The partnership establishes a framework for mutual cooperation and implementation of INMED's residential aquaponics system at a 4-H facility in Kingston to serve as a model and teaching tool for training youth in climate-change awareness, adaptation, sustainable food production, entrepreneurship and agricultural innovation, and to serve as a model for demonstration of the technology. 

Funded by the Government of Jamaica under the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, Jamaica 4-H Clubs provide specialized training to mobilize, educate and equip youth to develop sustainable enterprises and become positive contributors to national development. 

The 4-H mission dovetails perfectly with the INMED Aquaponics® goal of helping distressed communities strengthen food security, climate adaptation and sustainable livelihoods. INMED Caribbean has already held training workshops on the starter system. In a few weeks, it will be brimming with fresh produce to harvest.

Our team at INMED Caribbean is grateful for all the support and encouragement they have received from our GlobalGiving donors. You are truly part of the INMED family now, and we look forward to improving more lives in Jamaica with your support in the coming year.

Links:

• Women embrace INMED starter system in Jamaica