49 farmers to receive full $50,000 payout from $2.88m insurance programme

The symbolic cheque for the total sum was presented during a ceremony on Wednesday (November 12) at the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining’s Hope Gardens office in St. Andrew.

Portfolio Minister, Floyd Green, described the handover as a “bittersweet moment.” He noted that the sector was poised for a record-breaking year, projected to surpass 900,000 tonnes in domestic crop production for the first time in Jamaica’s history, when the catastrophic Category Five cyclone struck.

“The reality is that our climate has changed, and these extreme weather events have become par for the course in our agricultural space. As such, it is important that we make preparations for them,” Minister Green stated.

He highlighted the timeliness of the insurance scheme, which will help farmers — some still recovering from other 2024 storms — accelerate their recovery and resume production.

Orette Duncan, Client and Partner Services Manager at GK General Insurance, confirmed that the 49 farmers receiving the $50,000 maximum represent half of the 98 registered RADA beneficiaries. 

“We are not just handing over the funds. We are standing in solidarity with all our farmers,” Duncan stated. “We are also reaffirming our commitment to strengthening Jamaica’s food security, protecting livelihoods, and fortifying the agricultural sector against future climate events.”

The parametric insurance product is designed to safeguard the livelihoods of local farmers and fishers against extreme weather events. The Government has allocated $7.5 million to subsidise base-level coverage for each participating farmers insurance policy.