Review of the agricultural sector in jamaica - Knowledge Society ...

Review of the Agricultural Sector 

in Jamaica 

(part II) 

Dr. André Gordon 

Enhancing Jamaican Competitiveness in the Global 

Knowledge Economy 

15 April 2011 

Jamaica, W.I.

Foreign Matter in Food

Foodborne Illnesses Cases in the 

Caribbean, 2011 

• Jamaica: Ministry of Health official suspect 

ingestion of salt petre responsible for recent 

food poisoning cases – 11 Jan., 2011 

• Trinidad and Tobago: 56 Students fall ill – 

15 Jan. 2011 

– Warrenville TIA Primary School, Cunupia 

• Trinidad and Tobago: Carnival and Food 

Safety – 18 Jan. 2011

The Food Safety 

Modernization Act, 

2001

Global Food Safety Initiative 

Standards

Applicationof Technology for 

Global Competitiveness of 

Jamaica’s Agri-food Sector

Application of Technology for 

Competitiveness 

• The main technology required for significantly 

increasing the competitiveness of Jamaican 

Agriculture and Agro-industry is 

KNOWLEDGE-Based “soft” technology 

• These are typically combination and systems 

technologies that have to be developed or 

tailored for the specific applications and 

environments



• Requires highly competent, experienced 

practitioners of applied science, with worldclass 

knowledge of applicable and appropriate 

technologies suitable to Jamaica’s realities. 

• Cannot be done by theorists – need extension 

specialists 

• Requires the incorporating all lessons of the 

past into the use of “softer”, more people 

oriented, less capital-intensive approach



• Focus on systems technology, catalyzing initial 

work with value chains and clusters 

• Focus: problem solving, developing and 

strengthening value chains, gaining or 

maintaining market access and systems 

implementation

Application of Combination and 

Systems Technology 

• Key successes in using the approach developed 

to the application of technology included: 

– Regaining EU market access for Strombus giga (Queen 

Conch) 

– Regaining US market access for Blighia sapida (Ackees) 

after a 27 year ban 

– The transformation of Ackee and Conch manufacturing 

and export in Jamaica 

– Regaining US market access for Canned Process Cheese 

(Tastee)



• Key successes (cont’d): 

– Use in structuring approach to market 

access/trade agreements 

– The application of the approach to building 

productive collaboration and value chains – 

Jamaica Business Recovery Programme 

(JBRP), JEA and CC Clusters



• Key successes (cont’d): 

– The application of technological know how to the layout and 

design and/or redesign of pack houses, food processing 

plants and technical support centres across the Caribbean 

• Plants and Pack houses - Haiti, St. Lucia, Grenada, 

T&T, SVG, Dominica, Jamaica 

• Technical Centres – SKNBS/MPL complex (St. Kitts); 

NCTE (Dominica), GTC (Jamaica)

Case Studies

Jamaica’s Ackee Exports 

2001-2009

Mature Ackees on a Tree

Socio-economic Importance 

• Ackees are largely grown and processed in rural areas 

where other employment opportunities are limited 

• it directly impacts 13 communities across the island 

• approx. 3,000 directly employed 

• 6,000 indirectly employed

Figure 4: Structures of Hypoglycins 

NH 3 

H 2 C C C 

C 

H 2 

C 

H2 

CH 

COOH 

HYPOGLYCIN A 

L - (methylenecyclopropyl) alanine 

H 2 C 

C 

H 

C 

C CH 

H2 

C 

H 2 

H 

N 

O 

C 

COOH 

HYPOGLYCIN B 

γ - glutamylhypoglycin A 

C C CH 

H 2 H2 

COOH 

NH 3

Figure 5: METABOLISM OF HYPOGLYCIN A 

NH 2 

Hypoglycin A 

H 2 C 

C 

H 

C 

C 

H 2 

C 

H2 

C 

H 

COOH 

O 

MCPP 

H 2 C 

C 

H C 

C 

H 2 

C 

H2 

C 

COOH 

O 

MCPA - CoA 

H 2 C 

C 

H 

C C C 

H2 

C 

H 2 

S 

CoA 

O 

H 2 C 

C 

H 

C C C N C 

H2 H H 2 

C 

H 2 MCPA - Glycine 

COOH 

H 2 C 

C 

H C C COOH 

H2 

C 

H 2 MCPA

Ripening Stages of Ackee (5 to 10) 

Stage 5 

Stage 6 

Stage 7 

Stage 8 

Stage 9 

Stage 10

Ackee Ripening and Hypoglycin A Content 

Source: Brown et al., 1991 

1600 

1400 

1200 

1000 

ppm 800 

600 

400 

200 

0 

3 4 5 6 7 8 9 

Ripening Stage

Traditional Rack Ripening

Current Commercial Ripening of Ackees

ACKEE EXPORTS – VOLUME (KG) VS. VALUE US$) 

Jan – Nov, 2009

Build Back Better: The JBRP Story 

Application of Technology through the Cluster 

Concept along Value Chains

Application of Technology under JBRP 

• Developing input supplier, farmer, buyer 

relationships: building and strengthening the value 

chain 

• Understanding of the concept of producer/buyer 

relationships as an enterprise in itself 

• Use of specifications, planning and management 

in the business of agriculture


• Soil analyses, crop types, proper spacing, fertigation, 

proper crop rotation, etc 

• Importance of plant nutrition 

• Harvesting, post-harvest handling & storage – 

appropriate technology (field crates, etc) 

• Basic IPM techniques - Pest scouting, use of barrier 

technology, use of pheromones, Bacillus thurigenesis 

(Bt), etc for infestation and disease control

Field Preparation & Management

Pest and Disease Management

Protected Agriculture: Greenhouses

Detailed Step-by-Step Greenhouse 

Construction & Operation 

Source: JBRP Production Manual 04: Greenhouse Production








• Results: significant yield increases >40 - 50% in some 

cases, better quality, dramatically reduced losses. 

• Agriculture being seen as technology intense, 

interesting; a BUSINESS; a CAREER worth pursuing 

• Young people/farmers getting back into agriculture 

• Basis for current successful thrust into technology-led 

and protected agriculture in Jamaica today

Summary: 

Role of Technology Development 

& Application in the Jamaican 

Agricultural & Agro-processing Sector

SUMMARY 

Our Approach over the years included: 

• Application of Systems Technology in 

– Market Access and Value Chain Strengthening 

– Building Global Competitiveness in Caribbean Firms 

• Technology Application in 

– Effective Product Development 

– Problem Solving 

– Product and Process Optimization

Summary: Application of Technology 

for Competitiveness 

• Range of different kinds of technology, hard 

and soft applicable 

• Need to apply in a manner that is relevant to 

the circumstance 

• Must be cognizant of absorptive capacity of 

persons being targeted



• The knowledge base of all personnel involved, 

the equipment and capabilities available, and 

building in constant upgrading and 

development are critical to success and 

sustainability



• Must gear information such that it can be 

understood by the persons who are the 

intended target – no use being “high science” 

when the users are intimidated by it. 

• Must be sensitive to culture of the farmer if 

success is to be achieved. 

• Target sustainability. This can only be achieved 

by a change in culture

Opportunities 

• Agricultural Transformation: 

– Changing the Paradigm 

– Biotechnology 

– TETHIP – Type 

• The role of technology 

• Integrated AgroTourism Ventures 

• Goal Oriented Agriculture: 

– Import Substitution – General 

– Import Substitution – Hospitality 

– Export Agriculture

Opportunities for Improvement 

• Support for Agriculture 

– Private Sector and Multilateral Programme 

– Targeted work – SRC, Bodles, BSJ 

– University research targeted at specific problems, 

with specific solution timelines 

– Complete revision of CASE 

– Relook at paper with specific research opportunities 

– indicate date or that paper and response!!

Changing the Game

CHANGING THE GAME 

• Starting with the objective, and only the 

objective in mind 

• Planning to achieve it without placing any 

limitations on how it will be done 

• Ignoring the current state or rules of play – 

totally.

“Excellence is the result of 

caring more than others think 

is wise, risking more than 

others think is safe, dreaming 

more than others think is 

practical and expecting more 

than others think is possible.”

THE END

Dr. André Gordon 

Technological Solutions Limited 

agordon@cwjamaica.com

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