Ministry Pursuing Productive Use of Mined Bauxite Lands
The Ministry of Energy and Mining is pursuing the
productive utilization of rehabilitated mined out
bauxite lands for agricultural initiatives says State
Minister Laurence Broderick.
This comes against the background of concerns of the
need to find solutions to improve the standard of
living, particularly in rural areas.
Mr. Broderick said that information suggests that the Government currently owns approximately 5,515.65 hectares of certified rehabilitated bauxite lands, located primarily in Manchester and St. Ann.
"Over the past year, we at the Ministry have been seeking to identify the status of mined out bauxite lands that have been rehabilitated for developmental purposes."
Jamaica's National Development Plan, Vision 2030, mandates the government to make sequential land use a priority, and to integrate the development of mineral resources with overall land use planning and national development.
Noting that mined out lands have, traditionally, been used for agriculture, Mr. Broderick cited St. Ann Bauxite Limited (SABL), Alumina Partners (ALPART) and West Indies Alumina Company (WINDALCO) as the primary entities that have maintained vibrant agricultural programmes.
With upwards of 3,000 hectares of land being utilised under tenant farming programmes, he said the annual yield of crops cultivated has totaled in excess of 700,000 pounds. These crops include; cauliflower, cabbage, pumpkin, sweet pepper, sweet potato and cassava.
The programmes are being supported by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), the Caribbean Agricultural Research Development Institute (CARDI) and the Jamaica Bauxite Institute's (JBI) Bauxite Community Development Programme (BCDP).
Mr. Broderick cited Phase I of the Essex Valley Crop Production Project in St. Elizabeth, as an example of a successful BCDP venture undertaken on mined out lands.
"This project has, so far, involved some 250 small farmers and has generated some $6 million in earnings," he outlined. Similar projects have included the Mocho Crop Production Project, Clarendon and the Walkerswood Pepper Project, St. Ann.
In keeping with the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries' promotion of the technology, Mr. Broderick informed the House that the BCDP is implementing a number of greenhouse projects in Haddon and Burnt Ground in St. Ann.
"These projects are being implemented in collaboration
with the Christiana Potato Growers Association (in
Manchester), RADA, and US (Jamaica) Farms Limited (and)
are to be expanded and replicated in other mined-out
areas."