Forty-one farmers in Hartlands, St Catherine, are set to benefit from an $80 million irrigation project aimed at improving agricultural productivity, strengthening climate resilience and providing greater security for farmers who have long struggled with unreliable water access.

The Hartlands Irrigation Project, being implemented through the partnership between SCJ Holdings Limited (SCJ) and the National Irrigation Commission (NIC), will provide an irrigation system capable of serving approximately 400 acres of farmland, with the potential to accommodate more farmers in the future.

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Floyd Green said the investment represents a major step in resolving longstanding challenges faced by Hartlands farmers. He noted that the farmers had repeatedly raised concerns about the lack of infrastructure, uncertainty over land tenure and the difficulty of sustaining production without dependable water supplies.