Farmers urged to diversify, build resilience after Melissa
Published:Wednesday | November 12, 2025 | 12:12 AMOlivia Brown/Gleaner Writer
Andre Anderson, president of the Clarendon branch of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), is urging farmers to adopt more resilient practices and diversify their crops as they work to rebuild after Hurricane Melissa, which left widespread destruction across the agricultural sector.
His call follows reports that farmers in communities such as Bog Hole, Aenon Town and James Hill in northern Clarendon had lost all their crops and livestock during the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
Preliminary estimates from the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining show that the agricultural sector has suffered losses exceeding $20 billion, with more than 40 per cent of the island’s layer flock destroyed, and significant damage to both crop and fisheries operations.
Rebuilding must begin with access to high-yielding crop varieties and fungicides to help mitigate the effects of water damage and root rot, said Anderson.
He also stressed the importance of addressing animal welfare, noting: “We have to ensure that the animals’ comfort is a priority. This is important to help them get over the trauma they endured during the passage of [Hurricane] Melissa.”
In outlining the types of crops that could possibly better withstand extreme weather, Anderson explained that while no single crop can resist a Category 5 hurricane, certain tree crops tend to recover more quickly.
“Our taller coconut varieties are particularly vulnerable, but mango and breadfruit trees that lose some branches will regenerate and return to production without the cost of replanting,” he noted.
He added that some mango, ackee, and breadfruit trees in Clarendon still bear fruit despite the hurricane, reinforcing the importance of crop diversification.
“Tree crops also help in breaking the wind and act as a shield for farm structures,” he said.
Anderson posited that resilient farming practices, such as crop diversification, raised beds, and protected agriculture, can play a significant role in mitigating future damage. Raised beds, he explained, are especially effective in low-lying areas suited for crops like dasheen and callaloo.
“Crop diversification is always a best practice. Even outside of a hurricane, mono-cropping can result in a total wipeout if there is a disease outbreak,” he added.
However, he cautioned that protected agriculture systems — such as greenhouses — require careful management to be effective.
“Farmers must follow the recommendation to remove the roofs and siding and lower the plants to the ground before a hurricane’s passage,” he said. “But protected agriculture demands a keen eye for chemistry to manage nutrient solutions successfully.”
Addressing support systems available to affected farmers, Anderson pointed out that while government assistance is usually channelled through the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and members of parliaments, the process is not always efficient.
“The benefits through RADA, even when recommended by MPs, can only go to farmers who are registered,” he explained. “There are farmers who make solid contributions to the sector but, for one reason or another, are not registered. These individuals, though known to their communities and dependent on their farms for livelihood, often receive no relief after disasters.”
Anderson also encouraged farmers to adapt their planting schedules and crop choices to changing weather patterns, emphasising that climate change has made the seasons increasingly unpredictable.
He said that post-harvest facilities — like the one recently opened in New Forest, St Elizabeth — should be replicated in other parishes.
“Areas such as Kellits, Bog Hole, and Douglas Castle (in Clarendon) are highly productive. It’s more than justifiable for one of these facilities to be located in this belt,” Anderson opined.
Beyond crop protection, Anderson urged farmers to focus on soil rehabilitation.
“Many poultry, cattle, and small ruminant farms on the Clarendon plains have stockpiles of manure that we should take advantage of,” he said. “This will not only replenish nutrients lost through erosion and leaching, but also help rebuild soil structure and water-holding capacity in loamy soils.”
In the long term, Anderson believes a shift in mindset is critical.
“We have to get serious about practising agriculture as a business,” he said. “We can’t continue to buy goats for $250,000 and put them in a $30,000 hut. We also need to denude banana and plantain plants ahead of a hurricane, as that’s the fastest way to get the field back in production afterwards.”