Farmers get hydroponics training

Fifteen farmers at Amity Hall Agro Park in St Catherine were recently trained in sustainable hydroponics production systems under a climate resilient programme.

The initiative, which was driven by the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO), with assistance from the governments of Jamaica and Mexico, involved training in areas such as distribution of solar-powered irrigation systems, rainwater harvesting, and storage facilities for sustainable open-field production.

Dwayne Howell, one of the beneficiaries of the training, said the programme, particularly the module on sustainable hydroponics, was extremely useful.

"I have been enlightened to the benefits of hydroponic production to environment and water conservation, as well as the opportunity for better quality production and higher yields," said Howell, a farmer from the Amity Hall Agro Park in St Catherine.

Sustainable hydroponics solution is intended to address some of the recurring challenges of climate change in Jamaica, including sporadic and heavy rains, as well as extended dry season. The main features of the innovation include a recirculating system, which enables the controlled distribution of nutrient solution via a solar-powered pump.

The nutrient solution is transported throughout the system to the plant's roots, then the excess nutrient is again collected in a reservoir and the process is repeated.

Howell said that the incorporation of technology in hydroponics farming has piqued his interest since he was a youth in agriculture. "It gives me hope that the current risk from climate change that affects food security faced in the Caribbean and around the world, may be reduced with the use of hydroponics technology and principles," Howell said.

Princess Lee, FAO national project coordinator, said, "Hydroponics production is one of the best answers to the current drought and climate-change challenges facing our farmers worldwide."