Vision 2030 Jamaica National Development Plan (NDP), recognises the importance of agriculture in developing Internationally Competitive Industry Structures (National Outcome # 12), based on its average annual contribution of 8 per cent to GDP, employment, rural livelihoods, environmental sustainability, and food security. The agricultural sector which is a primary earner of foreign exchange, comprises a diverse mix of large and small-scale farming, with over 230,000 registered farmers and more than 200,000 workers, 60 per cent of whom reside in rural areas.

Consistent with a drive by the Government of Jamaica to increase the country’s agricultural productivity, various initiatives have been introduced to boost agriculture production to ensure food security, increase income generation, foreign exchange earnings, and promote rural development.

Among the major initiatives are the Soil Fertility Mapping Project and the Production Incentive to Farmers Programme. The objective of the Soil Fertility Mapping Project is to increase productivity, improve the quality of agricultural output, optimize farmer’s profits, and enhance farming efficiency, while maintaining good environmental stewardship, through an integrated soil management system.  The Production Incentive to Farmers Programme aims to support agricultural production through provision of incentives for small farmers and other investors in the production of strategically selected crops and livestock. Accordingly, the availability of updated soil information is critical to determine the soil characteristics for decision making regarding crop type and the necessary farm inputs for increased output and productivity. This is in a context where the agricultural sector is also vulnerable to the effects of climate change given changing weather patterns and the increased risk and intensity of natural disasters, such as flooding and drought.

The joint special/performance audit objective is to assess the efficiency and effectiveness of the Ministry of Agriculture’s administration of the programme/project, including the implementation activities of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority.  The audit seeks to provide assurance to Parliament on the effectiveness of the MoAFM in successfully delivering the programme/project deliverables to farmers.

We value your relevant comments to our audit which can be communicated by completing the relevant fields on our feedback form or email us at audgen@auditorgeneral.gov.jm.    Please note that due to the volume of information received, we may not respond to you directly; however, we thank you in advance for your response.