The Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) has approved additional financing of US$12 million to help the Government of Jamaica complete the Southern Plains Agricultural Development (SPAD) Project, according to a press release published on April 9, 2026. The supplementary funding takes the form of a concessional loan from CDB’s Special Development Fund. The support is intended to close a remaining funding gap and enable the SPAD Project to finish by 2028.
The SPAD Project is a United Kingdom Caribbean Infrastructure Fund (UKCIF) Programme initiative implemented by CDB across Jamaica’s Southern Plains, recognized as one of the country’s breadbasket regions. Cost overruns driven by global supply chain disruptions following the COVID-19 pandemic and the war in Ukraine, as well as the impacts of extreme weather events, created the funding shortfall now being addressed. The project has already brought over 790 hectares of farmland under reliable irrigation and rehabilitated 40 kilometres of farm access roads.
The US$12 million will directly support the final installation and commissioning of irrigation infrastructure at Amity Hall, along with construction of produce handling and packhouse facilities at Amity Hall in St. Catherine and Parnassus in Clarendon. Funding will also cover related engineering, supervision, and project management costs. Small and medium-scale farmers, including women and youth, have been among those benefiting from access to land, water, modern irrigation, training, and market opportunities under the initiative.
The financing will also sustain farmer support services, including climate-smart on-farm irrigation equipment through a Matching Grant Scheme, training in Good Agricultural Practices and Climate Smart Agriculture, and systems for long-term operation and maintenance. Mr. L. O’Reilly Lewis, CDB’s Director of Projects, stated:
“This additional financing is essential to safeguard and build on the gains already achieved under the SPAD Project. Completing this innovative initiative will strengthen Jamaica’s food security, safeguard rural livelihoods and ensure that climate resilient infrastructure continues to deliver long term benefits for farmers and communities.”
Key irrigation systems at Parnassus are fully operational, while works at Amity Hall are nearing completion.
The additional financing is aligned with CDB’s Strategic Plan 2026–2035, supporting the Bank’s focus on building economic, social, and environmental resilience through climate-resilient food systems, strengthened livelihoods, and expanded access to resilient infrastructure. Jamaica’s agriculture sector has been severely impacted by successive climatic shocks, including Hurricanes Melissa and Beryl. The SPAD Project replaces outdated flood irrigation with climate-resilient water systems to help farmers adapt to drought, stabilize production, reduce losses, and improve incomes.
