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BRIDGETOWN, Barbados: The Board of Directors of the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB / the Bank) has approved additional financing of US12 million to assist the Government of Jamaica (GOJ) in achieving full completion of the Southern Plains Agricultural Development (SPAD) Project, a flagship investment transforming climate-vulnerable farmland into resilient, productive agricultural hubs.
The supplementary financing comprises a concessional loan from CDBs Special Development Fund (SDF). The support will address cost overruns driven by global supply chain disruptions following the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, as well as the impacts of extreme weather events. It will close this remaining funding gap and enable the SPAD Project to finish by 2028.
Highlighting the significance of the approval, Mr. L. OReilly Lewis, CDBs Director of Projects, stated,
The US12 million in funding will directly support the final installation and commissioning of irrigation infrastructure at Amity Hall, construction of produce handling and packhouse facilities at Amity Hall in St. Catherine and Parnassus in Clarendon, as well as related engineering, supervision and project management costs. It will also sustain farmer support services, including climate-smart on-farm irrigation equipment through a Matching Grant Scheme, training in Good Agricultural Practices and Climate Smart Agriculture, and systems for long term operation and maintenance.
The SPAD Project, a United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Fund (UKCIF) Programme initiative implemented by CDB, is already delivering tangible results across the Southern Plains, known as one of Jamaicas breadbasket regions. The Project has brought over 790 hectares of farmland under reliable irrigation, rehabilitated 40 kilometres of farm access roads, and enabled small and medium scale farmers, including women and youth, to access land, water, modern irrigation, training and market opportunities.
By replacing outdated flood irrigation with climate resilient water systems, the SPAD Project is helping farmers adapt to drought, stabilise production, reduce losses and improve incomes--at a time when Jamaicas agriculture sector has been severely impacted by successive climatic shocks, including Hurricanes Melissa and Beryl. Key irrigation systems at Parnassus are fully operational, while works at Amity Hall are nearing completion.
The additional financing is aligned with CDBs Strategic Plan 2026-2035, supporting the Banks focus on building economic, social and environmental resilience through climate resilient food systems, strengthened livelihoods, and expanded access to resilient infrastructure that enables communities to better withstand and recover from shocks.
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