Blogs

Sandy was about 395 miles (636 kilometers) south of Kingston, Jamaica, and had winds of 40 mph (64 kph), the National Hurricane Center in Miami said. It is expected to head toward Jamaica and be near or over the island Wednesday, perhaps with winds close to hurricane strength of 74 mph (119 kph)."

This will bring sections of the island under the influence of tropical storm conditions; which may result in flooding and excessive winds which pose a threat to the nation’s farmers.

ADRM Best Practices include the following:

• Check with your community members and nearest RADA officer to do your part in
agricultural disaster management plans and reduce risks.

The Authority operates a 24 hour help line 1-888-ASK-RADA.

• Listen to the radio regularly for storm forecasts and warnings. Keep a working Battery powered radio with fresh batteries to be constantly informed

• Secure a few cell-phone chargers for your farmer group to keep in touch during the worst of the severe weather conditions.

• Maintain drains/diversion ditches/check dams and other protective structures

• Where needed, make drains (deep enough) around store rooms and other buildings

• Team up with other farmers to clean drains and sink-holes and reduce the risk of flooding

• Clean side-drains and cross-drains to protect farm roads.

• Reap mature and ripe fruits and store in a cool dry area

• Cut back tall trees near buildings to at most 15 feet high and prune to help reduce damage and avoid toppling

• Trim coffee trees in windswept areas, partially to 34 inches or totally to 12-15 inches from the ground.
• Secure bee hives and take measures to prevent flooding/toppling

• Greenhouse farmers, if necessary, Organize help to remove greenhouse covering and arrange plants. Lay greenhouse plants on ground, cover with plastic and tie down, or remove plants to a secure room

• Secure extra stocks of feed and store securely in dry, flood resistant and leak proof areas.

• Store pesticides and fertilizers similarly in dry areas.

• Remove irrigation lines and equipment and store in an area secure from damage.

• Repair farm buildings, fences, livestock pens to prevent damage to animals and other farm resources; as well as minimize losses due to the weather conditions.

• Remove cattle and small ruminants from low lying areas to higher ground away from river banks and areas likely to have landslides.

• Make a checklist of all farm animals.

• Where possible, keep a Stand by Generator and fuel pump serviced and ready for use

• Establish protected seedlings for early replanting after the severe weather has passed.

• In addition to these precautions the Authority and the Ministry of Agriculture and
Fisheries are advising farmers who have Plant Nurseries to do the following:
o Remove shade cloth and store in a safe place.

o If the nursery is in a low-lying area, remove and store plants and the essential parts of the irrigation system, in particular the pump, in a waterproof area.

o Open drains to allow the easy passage of water.

o Cut diversion trenches around beds to prevent flooding.

o Remove mixed potting soil, topsoil, and manure to an elevated location to avoid them being washed away.

• Farmers should attempt to finish the prescribed tasks listed below before the storm begins.

• Farmers place themselves at the risk of injury or death by working during a storm or flood.

• The national Agricultural Disaster Risk Management (ADRM) operation is headquartered at RADA’s corporate office, at Hope Gardens and operates through 13 Parish ADRM committees through a collaborative effort of relevant stakeholders including the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MOA&F), ODPEM, 4H, SDC, NWA, JAS, the parish council, the police and agricultural input suppliers.

• RADA also sends text messages to registered farmers prior, during and after a disaster to help speed up the recovery process.