Fund Jamaican Farmers in Climate-Smart Aquaponics

Since our last report, our team at INMED Caribbean has been building and strengthening program capacity. Our second group of agri-entrepreneurs and farmers began the online and hands-on trainning, while our first group of farmers have begun their coaching sessions with our agri-business consultants to polish their businesss plans.

In October, INMED Caribbean launched a strategic partnership with College of Agrirculture, Science and Education (CASE) to expand capacity of our Increasing Access to Climate-Smart Agriculture program in Jamaica. The partnership involves the construction of a large commercial-scale aquaponics system on its campus in Port Antonio, Portland, to serve as a teaching tool for students studying adaptive agriculture, a resource for research and development, and a source of fresh produce and fish for the college’s meals program. The system also will be used as a demonstration and training tool for INMED’s IACA program, which provides training and technical assistance in aquaponics farming, as well as links to financing and markets, to help small-scale farmers, women and youth start aquaponics enterprises in Jamaica. IACA program partners include the Inter-American Development Bank/Multilateral Investment Fund, Caribbean Development Bank, the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries (MICAF), Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), and the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation (MEGJC).

As part of the demonstration system, aquaponics experts from INMED Caribbean will train CASE instructors in all aspects of aquaponics farming and will help develop course curricula specifically for CASE students. “While we’re focusing on developing current aquaponics farmers and entrepreneurs through our IACA program, this wonderful strategic partnership with CASE will allow us to expand our reach to future farmers and entrepreneurs among their students,” says Dr. Linda Pfeiffer, CEO of INMED Partnerships for Children, which pioneered the IACA concept.

“We appreciate the partnership between CASE and INMED to add aquaponics as a viable, climate-smart agriculture alternative to address food security and provide economic opportunities to the new generation of farmers in Jamaica,” says Dr. Derrick Deslandes, President of CASE.

The aquaponics system is currently under construction at CASE and is expected to be operational by year-end. INMED Caribbean and CASE recently held a launch event, which included representatives of the Caribbean Development Bank, the Planning Institute of Jamaica and RADA Portland Parish and several farmers participating in INMED’s IACA program.

“The launch of this aquaponics project is an exciting step for agriculture in Jamaica,” says Darran Newman, Division Chief (Ag.), Technical Cooperation Division of the Caribbean Development Bank. “It has the potential to transform the industry for the better and to help lift many citizens out of poverty. The Caribbean Development Bank is pleased to help bring such innovation to the agricultural sector through our support of this partnership between CASE and INMED.”

A big THANK YOU to all our donors supporting this project. You are changing lives (read our latest Follow a Farmer entries). Stay up to date by visiting https://inmedcaribbean.org.

Links:

• INMED Caribbean brings the future of farming to Jamaica

• IACA Farmer Marcus Builds His System (PDF)
  
• IACA Farmer Marcus Pitches His Business Plan (PDF)
  

Since our last update, we've had many exciting developments. Our IACA program was featured at the 2018 Cracking the Nut Conference in Antigua, Guatemala, where INMED was among the top innovators in climate-change adaptation approaches. The Jamaica Observer also ran a 2-page feature and editorial endorsement of our IACA program. 

Train-the-Trainer Sessions

INMED Caribbean has held a second train-the-trainer workshop for Rural Agriculture Development Authority (RADA) extension agents, who will provide ongoing technical assistance to farmers participating in INMED’s Increasing Access to Climate-Smart Agriculture (IACA) program in Jamaica. The first class of farmers completed their online prequalification course, participated in an intensive training workshop, and are now receiving technical assistance to learn how to construct, operate and maintain their own commercial aquaponics systems.

Farmer Training Commences

Marcus was one of 20 farmers to participate in INMED Caribbean’s first three-day training workshop in mid-July. The training, delivered by INMED aquaponics experts, included two days of classroom lectures and one day of hands-on participatory education at an INMED aquaponics system at the Knockalva Agricultural School. He discovered aquaponics on YouTube and has been experimenting with a home system for two years. When he learned of INMED’s IACA program in Jamaica, he was eager to register.

“My expectation of the program was to gain more in-depth knowledge about aquaponics and how I can scale my home system into a commercial system that can meet the demands of restaurants, caterers, and hotels,” says Marcus. After completing INMED’s online training, h joined other fledgling and traditional farmers for a deeper, hands-on dive into the innovative farming technique. “This training has opened my mind to the next level of how I can create a commercial system for myself as a startup business.”

Another important aspect of the training is connecting farmers who are in different stages of entrepreneurship. “As I’ve gone through the INMED program, I’ve met like-minded people and have started to network with them to share information,” says Marcus. The farmers have formed a Whatsapp group to encourage each other and share best practices.

Next Steps

INMED has been working with the Development Bank of Jamaica and local financial institutions to provide IACA program participants access to affordable financing to start aquaponics enterprises and facilitate loan repayment. Farmers are now working with INMED agribusiness consultants to polish their business plans, complete loan applications and create presentations for their meetings with loan officers.

Soon, INMED Caribbean also will have a new venue for participatory training. The College of Agriculture, Science and Education recently broke ground on a commercial INMED aquaponics system on its campus in Port Antonio, Portland, Jamaica. The new system will be used for IACA training as well as for CASE’s adaptive agriculture program.

In the meantime, the INMED Aquaponics Whatsapp group is abuzz with spirited exchanges, like this one from farmer named Norman: “INMD has shown us the way… It is now our job to till the soil, may it be gravel, clay or dirt. Our job right now is to get the right pH balance and oxygenate our mission forward by feeding and teaching our nation what we have learned.”

Their enthusiasm is contagious! A big THANK YOU to all our donors and supporters who are helping us transform lives in Jamaica! Please help us promote this program by sharing our Global Giving link and updates on social media. 

Links for More Information

Be sure to visit https://inmedcaribbean.org for more updates.

Click here to follow our farmers!

Follow us on Facebook. 

Read the latest article on IACA in the Jamaica Observer!

Click here to read a big enedorsement of IACA!

• Lessons Learned from Cracking the Nut-INMED, p.15 (PDF)
  
• Follow_a_Farmer_MarcusJamaica.pdf (PDF)
  
• Follow_a_Farmer_TaneshaJamaica.pdf (PDF)