Ebony Park Heart Academy Receives Equipment

The Government has boosted the training and production capacity of the Ebony Park Heart Academy, with the presentation of equipment valued at over US$128,000.

The items received include seine nets, solar lights, mobile water pumps, digital scales, oxygen scales, refractometers, fish baskets, freshwater kits, cast nets, weed whackers, security cameras and drones.

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green said the facility is being equipped to produce strong sector workers, who can contend with the challenges.

“What we are doing here at base is transforming the fisheries teaching and learning experience at Ebony Park, by developing course materials based on industry best practices, based on industry standards, starting by renovating (several) ponds, and providing state-of-the-art equipment,” Mr. Green stated.

“Our students are also, as a part of their programme, are going to be working directly with fish farmers who are already operating in nearby communities. So built into this programme, is a period of internship where they will learn directly from practical experience on these farms. Again, part of what will happen now is the knowledge transfer, because we know a lot of people who have gotten into fish farming have no technical knowledge,” he added.

The Minister was speaking at the handover ceremony held on Friday (January 31) at the Ebony Park HEART Academy in Clarendon.

Minister Green noted that the fisheries curriculum at several institutions are not advanced enough to effectively tackle the realities of contemporary fisheries.

He however informed that with support from the World Bank and other key partner agencies including the Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ), the Climate Investment Fund, the University of Technology (Utech), and the Rural Enterprise, Agriculture and Community Tourism Programme (REACT), steps are being taken to address the matter.

The HEART Trust/NTA Ebony Park Academy, in Toll Gate, Clarendon, is one of Jamaica’s chief agricultural training institutions, and is on a mission to ensure that all individuals working in various agriculture and hospitality sectors are certified to industry standards.