Saving the Flock: How World Bank Support is Fortifying Jamaican Farmers

For the small farmer from St. Mary, protecting the chickens meant protecting her family’s livelihood. "My chicken business maintains the household solely," Mona Lisa says. The income covers the school fees for her three children, ages 5 to 13, puts food on the table, and keeps the household running.

Mona Lisa is one of the rural female producers supported through the Second Rural Economic Development Initiative (REDI II), a World Bank-financed project designed to help Jamaican farmers strengthen their businesses, improve market access, and become more resilient to climate shocks.

The need for such support is significant. Although agriculture contributes around 8 percent of Jamaica’s GDP and employs nearly one in five Jamaicans, small-scale farmers remain highly exposed to weather shocks and other barriers including limited financing, weak storage systems, and inconsistent access to markets.