Soil-testing kits put farmers on growth path

In a major step toward strengthening Jamaica's food security, roughly two dozen real-time soil testing kits have been handed over to extension officers and other major stakeholders, who will, in turn, take the technology directly to farmers across Jamaica.

These extension officers, who have already been trained in using the kits, will travel to agro parks and farming communities to help farmers test their soil in real time and make data-driven decisions about fertilizer, irrigation, and crop management.

"Farmers will often talk about the cost of inputs, but for the most part they never paid much attention to the soil," Witter said.

Minister of State in the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Franklyn Witter, said the initiative aims to ensure that farmers no longer have to rely on guesswork when planning their crops.

"The soil is the most important component, because everything you add -- water, fertiliser, seeds goes to the soil to produce."

The use of soil-testing kits is part of a broader push to help Jamaica's agriculture recover from recent storms, including Beryl and Melissa, which heavily impacted food production.

Vivion Scully, CEO of Agro-Invest, said farmers previously had to wait days, or even weeks, for soil analysis from external labs. He said the kits are a game-changer as they will provide real-time results.

"Now we can determine, right on the spot, what nutrients are needed more or less and decide the path forward," Scully explained.

He said that extension officers working across agro parks have already been trained to use the equipment, allowing for faster turnaround and more precise interventions.

"Any improvement in productivity is going to improve our position as it relates to food security," he added, pointing to climate change as an ongoing threat to agricultural stability.

Canadian High Commissioner to Jamaica, Mark Berman, noted that similar programs are being implemented across the Caribbean as part of the Sustainable Agriculture in the Caribbean (SAC) Project, emphasizing climate resilience and sustainable practices.

"We want to be here as a partner and look at opportunities for investment from Canadian agricultural companies. So it's a win-win," he told THE STAR.