The Government of Jamaica, the United Kingdom, and the Caribbean Development Bank officially commissioned the Amity Hall/Bridge Pen Irrigation System and launched the corresponding Agro Park in St Catherine on Thursday, October 29. The infrastructure forms a cornerstone of the Southern Plains Agricultural Development Project, designed to secure long-term food production and climate resilience.
Infrastructure Built to Withstand Climate Shocks
Spanning 480 hectares, the newly unveiled Amity Hall/Bridge Pen Agro Park includes approximately 143 agricultural lots designed to expand commercial output. The technical footprint features a heavy-duty pumping station capable of moving 46,000 cubic metres of treated irrigation water daily. This supply is backed by a 20,000-cubic-metre reservoir, roughly 24 kilometres of irrigation pipelines, and 13 kilometres of dedicated farm roads.
The Agricultural Land Management Division from @micafjamaica are on the Amity Hall Agro-Park in St. Catherine educating farmers on the importance of proper soil and water testing to increase agricultural productivity. #nationbuilding #Jamaica #agriculture #agropark #agroinvest pic.twitter.com/6rtQbjHEOZ
British High Commissioner to Jamaica Alicia Herbert noted that the commissioning arrives exactly one year after Hurricane Melissa exposed the vulnerabilities of the island’s farming communities. To mitigate future energy volatility, the park incorporates a 100-kilowatt solar photovoltaic system. This renewable addition is projected to cut electricity overhead by roughly 15 percent.
| Project Metric | Specification |
|---|---|
| Total SPAD Project Land Area | 795 hectares (Amity Hall, St Catherine & Parnassus, Clarendon) |
| Agro Park Footprint | 480 hectares across 143 agricultural lots |
| Daily Irrigation Capacity | 46,000 cubic metres of treated water |
| Water Storage & Pipeline | 20,000-cubic-metre reservoir and 24 km of pipelines |
| Estimated Beneficiaries | Approximately 700 farmers (including over 300 women) |
Targeted Inclusion and Economic Returns
Funding for the wider Southern Plains Agricultural Development Project originates primarily through the UK Caribbean Infrastructure Fund, delivered in tandem with the Caribbean Development Bank and Kingston. Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Floyd Green explained that when the United Kingdom established the £300 million infrastructure fund for the region, Jamaica specifically targeted agriculture for the maximum return on investment.
The initiative prioritizes demographics historically locked out of large-scale commercial farming. L. O’Reilly Lewis, director of the Projects Department at the Caribbean Development Bank, pointed out that reliable water and access roads mean harvests no longer depend entirely on rainfall. Beyond physical concrete and pipes, the project has already funded agricultural training for 576 stakeholders, while 60 farmers secured assistance via a Matching Grant Scheme.
The upgraded acreage targets increased yields for staple crops such as onions, sweet potatoes, Irish potatoes, hot peppers, cassava, mangoes, and papayas.
