The facility will serve to improve the competitiveness of farmers, by allowing them greater access to local and international markets, in addition to providing information on the latest in technology to enhance productivity.

JAS regional manager for Portland, Thelma Williams, told JIS News that the project, which began in January, should be officially opened in June.

Noting that the project had received valuable assistance from the government of Japan, which has donated five laptop computers to the facility, Williams said that an initial 20 farmers would be trained to use the technology, with others to be trained overtime.

She said the facility would be of invaluable assistance to the farmers in terms of crop cultivation, planning marketing strategies and establishing websites through which information relating to their farming enterprises would become easily available.

The technology centre is just one of the initiatives being embarked on by the JAS to assist the farmers of Portland, Williams said.

She said other ventures being undertaken include the implementation of the Eat Jamaican Campaign, the Campaign for Rural Development, the Anti-praedial Larceny Programme, and collaborating with JAS branches in the parish to promote the development of cottage craft.

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