UK backs agriculture with $7.57b Essex Valley project

The UK government has invested $7.57 billion in a new agro-processing facility and administrative building that opened on Wednesday in Essex Valley, St Elizabeth, in a project aimed at strengthening Jamaica’s food security, agricultural productivity and resilience to climate change.

The facility forms part of the Essex Valley Agricultural Development Project (EVADP), funded through the UK Caribbean Infrastructure Fund (UKCIF) and implemented by the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) in partnership with the Government of Jamaica.

The project represents one of the UK’s largest recent investments in Jamaica’s climate-resilient agriculture sector. It falls within the wider $74.68 billion UKCIF programme supporting critical infrastructure across the Caribbean. Jamaica has so far received $11.61 billion from the fund for two major agricultural projects, including Essex Valley.

The new agro-processing facility is expected to allow farmers across St Elizabeth – Jamaica’s breadbasket – to store, process and market their produce more efficiently. That, officials say, should improve access to markets and help cushion agriculture against increasingly severe climate shocks.

The development has already delivered material improvements for farmers and rural communities. It includes 810 hectares of irrigated farmland; 62 kilometres of upgraded agricultural roads; new solar power systems to run the irrigation network and facilities and 30 food safety and sanitation centres designed to improve compliance with food-handling standards.

Speaking at the opening, Andrew Bowden, the UK development representative for Jamaica and Caribbean regional counsellor, highlighted the importance of resilient infrastructure. He pointed to the facility’s performance during Hurricane Melissa, which recently passed through St Elizabeth, one of the parishes worst affected by the storm.

“When storms come – and as climate change makes them stronger – infrastructure that withstands those storms becomes part of the response, not part of the damage … It protects lives. It protects livelihoods. And it gives communities hope,” he said.

The UK’s investment has also focused on building human capacity. More than 600 farmers have been trained under the project, including women, young people and persons with disabilities, in an effort to create a more inclusive agricultural workforce.

Bowden said the project demonstrated the effectiveness of collaboration between international partners and national institutions. “The partnership between the Government of Jamaica, the Caribbean Development Bank, and the United Kingdom has delivered real, measurable benefits. Together, we are building the foundations for a more resilient and prosperous agricultural sector,” he said.

Prime Minister Andrew Holness linked the project to the UK’s broader engagement with the region through development finance. “The United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Facility, implemented by the Caribbean Development Bank, supports the development of key infrastructure across the Caribbean. In aligning its international aid priorities with its longstanding historical ties to the region, the United Kingdom made a dedicated provision of funding. The Essex Valley project became possible through this targeted support. We express our gratitude to UKCIF for making this a reality,” he said.

The Caribbean Development Bank described the facility as a milestone for Jamaican agriculture. Martin Baptiste, division chief in the bank’s social sector division, said the project reflected an ambition to anchor economic development in sustainable farming.

“The facility and building that we are opening today are among the successes of the Essex Valley Agriculture Development Project – one of the most ambitious and transformational agricultural investments undertaken in Jamaica in recent years. At its core lies a simple but powerful idea: that sustainable, climate resilient agriculture can anchor rural prosperity. The facilities we are commissioning today embody that vision.”