KINGSTON, Jamaica — In a strategic move to fortify agricultural infrastructure, Jamaica’s National Irrigation Commission (NIC) has secured a substantial funding allocation exceeding $107 million. The financial backing, channeled through the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, is designated for the acquisition of new backup generators to safeguard the nation’s irrigation networks against power failures.
This critical investment addresses a persistent vulnerability exposed by extreme weather events, particularly Hurricane Melissa which struck on October 28 of the previous year. While the core irrigation infrastructure demonstrated structural resilience during the hurricane, the subsequent collapse of the national power grid emerged as the primary disruptor to continuous water delivery for farmers.
Rohan Stewart, Director of Engineering and Technical Services at the NIC, outlined the commission’s proactive strategy. “Our systems have been developed and built with resilience in place. The major water-production facilities were not impacted because of the resilience that we had,” Stewart stated. He confirmed the procurement process is currently underway, emphasizing that post-assessment revealed “the only damage that we suffered from the water production system was the loss of power.”
The new generators will be deployed to priority systems that serve livestock farmers and shared supply arrangements, ensuring the resumption of service to remaining affected customers. Beyond immediate recovery, this initiative enhances long-term disaster preparedness through improved equipment pre-positioning and refined fuel management protocols ahead of future hurricane seasons.
The NIC continues its collaborative modernization efforts with the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, reinforcing irrigation services that are indispensable for sustaining agricultural productivity and ensuring national food security.