Green also announced plans for a backyard garden programme to support households and to ensure that the focus remains on food security. Through this programme, the ministry will contribute $10 million to provide 2,500 householders across Jamaica with backyard farming assistance. The ministry's initiative will also focus on the provision of fungicides, herbicides, and insecticides to combat the current suspected level of infestation attributed to the continuous rainfall, at a cost of $95 million. Assorted seeds and other planting material costing $215 million will also be distributed. Some $111 million will go towards improving 17 farm roads, $30 million for crop recovery fertilising, and $40 million for repairs to green and shade houses are also included. Green noted that a comprehensive assessment of the damage is still not possible, as the rainfall has continued into this week. However, he was able to provide an update based on the latest assessment of the worst-affected areas. “The rains have truly had a devastating impact on our farmers,” he noted, adding that 3,000 hectares of crops, with an economic value of $2.5 billion, had been lost. He said the crops that suffered the most included vegetables, condiments, and fruits, as well as livestock and infrastructure such as farm roads. “When we looked at the first week of the heavy rains into last week, we were happy to see that a lot of our tubers were not in a bad condition. However, with the impact of the continued rainfall into last week, we are now seeing significant crop losses across the island, including Irish and sweet potatoes. “Our livestock farmers have not been spared. In fact, poultry farmers have lost an estimated $12 million, largely broilers and layers. Overall, livestock has suffered losses amounting to $38 million,” he noted. He said in terms of infrastructure damage, while the assessment is ongoing, as some of the areas are still inaccessible, there is already a preliminary estimate of $140 million in losses. “Our farmers are resilient, and one of the takeaways from my tours is that they are willing to go back out into the fields to do what they have to do,” he said. Source - http://www.jamaicaobserver.com