REDI Gives Booster Shot to Pig Industry

JAMAICA - Strategies to improve Jamaica’s food security, and in particular that of the pig/pork industry got a significant boost with the Jamaica Pig Farmers’ Association (JPFA) concentrating efforts on strengthening its capacity for food safety compliance and farm management.
calendar icon 11 February 2013
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Through a J$10.8M project financed in part by the Jamaica Social Investment Fund (JSIF) through its World Bank-funded Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI), the JPFA has begun the process of developing training manual focusing on quality assurance for slaughter facilities, wholesale and retail outlets to include jerk facilities.

According to President of the JPFA, Mrs Angella Bardowell, these activities support wider efforts to increase the competitiveness of the JPFA through a greater market share of Jamaican pork on the domestic market.

"In addition to quality assurance, other manuals are being developed for farm management and record keeping. With their proper use, some members will be technically competent to improve their own operations and later transfer this knowledge to others. In addition to the manual, participants will receive instructions on farm record keeping and management with a view to developing standardised forms and records for local pig operations. Furthermore, there will be training on the cost of production modelling and price determination of locally produced pork," advised Mrs Bardowell as she zoomed in on the components of the project.

The project will also be instrumental in assisting the JPFA to implement a marketing campaign geared at increasing pork consumption among the local populace by 10.0 per cent by the end of 2013. "A key element to improving public perceptions about pork and to convert that into consumption is the guaranteeing of the highest quality food safety and nutritional standards so that the consumer’s confidence of the origin and superior eating quality of local pork is assured," Mrs Bardowell said.

In this regard the JSIF REDI project, an 18-month initiative is expected to result in the establishment of food quality and safety management systems that will see an increased supply of healthy animals and an enhanced nutritional status of the population through the consumption of healthier foods while at the same time lending support to the national Animal Health and Welfare Policy now in draft and the Food Safety Policy now before Cabinet.

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