KINGSTON, Jamaica —  Prime Minister Andrew Holness has hailed the resilience of Jamaica’s farmers, commending their increasing adoption of technology and research-driven practices to boost productivity, improve yields and enhance agricultural output.

Speaking at the official ceremony for the 72nd staging of the Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show in May Pen, Clarendon, on Sunday, following a tour of the exhibition grounds, Holness said there is growing recognition that precision agriculture is not solely for large-scale producers.

“I’m impressed that there is a greater recognition by our farmers… even our small farmers… that agriculture is a science. Before, the only science that we used to apply to agriculture was the almanac. But now, I believe our farmers are understanding that they don’t need to be afraid of the science of agriculture, and more people are asking for soil tests to be done, because once they begin to understand the kind of soil they have, then they can properly select the kind of plants that they should grow,” he said.