‘Declare drought a national emergency’

Opposition Spokesperson on Rural and Community Development, Dr Kenneth Russell is calling on the Government to declare the prevailing drought a national emergency and mobilise an extraordinary response across affected parishes, as prolonged dry conditions take an increasingly severe toll on rural communities.

“This is an unfolding emergency, especially for rural Jamaica. Farmers are watching crops wither, livestock suffer and livelihoods disappear, while families struggle to find enough water for their most basic needs,” Dr Russell said.

He warned that drought destroys quietly, field by field, farm by farm, but the economic and human damage is just as devastating as more visible disasters.