Extreme weather conditions have already affected over 16,000 small farmers in the Caribbean nation.

The prolonged drought plaguing Jamaica is expected to get worse and could threatens to continue into May of 2015, said the country's Meteorological Service Monday.

Jamaica has been experiencing extreme weather conditions over the past few months, including severe heat and drought, which have also caused several brush fires and seriously affected Jamaica's agricultural sector.

According to Jeffrey Spooner, director of the Meteorological Service, statistics for January to June of 2014 indicate that the Caribbean island received only 33 percent of its normal rainfall. He also said that rainfall from August through to October 2014 is also forecasted to be well below normal.

October-November is normally Jamaica's rainy period, so if the forecast continues to show minimal rainfall for the coming months it is possible that the drought could continue until May of 2015, Spooner said.

“The southern parishes of St. Elizabeth, Manchester, Clarendon, St. Catherine, Kingston and St. Andrew, and the North eastern parishes of Portland and St. Mary were the hardest hit,” Spooner said.

Agricultural Minister Derrick Keller said last month that the extreme weather conditions have hit farming communities the hardest. By the end of July, over 16,000 small farmers have been affected, and the country suffered US$8 million in crop losses.

According to the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization, 75 percent of Jamaica's total water reserves are used for agricultural purposes. Many small farmers also lack irrigation systems, so they depend directly on rainwater.

The government announced at the end of last month that it is trucking water to hard-hit farming districts. It also said that wasting water was illegal, and a prohibition has been put on activities such as filling swimming pools and watering lawns.

Source - http://www.telesurtv.net/