Hurricane Melissa Response

You’ve heard of and seen the devastation brought to Jamaica in October 2025 because of Hurricane Melissa. Even in a region that is used to annual hurricane seasons, Melissa was unprecedented in its destructive power and passed directly over the island. The University of Miami (in conjunction with US NOAA), measured the maximum wind gust speeds at 252 mph and maximum sustained winds of 185 mph. The estimated force on a perpendicular flat surface was 213 lbf/square foot, with a horizontal force on a 20x10 wall of 26 tons.  

In practical terms, concrete walls collapsed, and many roofs were removed. All leaves were stripped from trees and shrubs, and many trees completely uprooted. Entire communities have been shattered in ways that can hardly be expressed in words. Over 7,500 sweet potato farms in St. Elizabeth, Hanover, Westmoreland, Trelawny and St. Ann were decimated. The need to rebuild is urgent, and it is substantial. 

Even before the disaster, Agridiscovery Foundation and our partners identified agrifood projects as being efficient, sustainable ways to rejuvenate farmlands and to create business opportunities for members of the Jamaica Network of Rural Women Producers (JNRWP). We have researched the resources needed, assembled the needed skills, and developed a project plan for sweet potato production in the central and western parishes. The rural women representing the membership of the JNRWP are the target group for the Agridiscovery Foundation's support.

The Agridiscovery Foundation, working together with the Jamaica Network of Rural Women Producers (JNRWP) is dedicated to doing its part to support Rehabilitation and medium-term recovery and long-term resilience and development. Up to 500 rural women-based households are at immediate risk. In light of the devastating impact on rural women farmers because of Hurricane Melissa, with even more vigor and determination, we a now seeking the means to put our plans into action. We need your support in supplies, services and finance that can be directed to the nearly 500 women households of the JNRWP. Agridiscovery Foundation would act as the coordinator though our Jamaican-based member contacts directly to the women members of the JNRWP.

The immediate needs are: 

• Planting material 

• Solar-powered irrigation pumps 

• Support for training/capacity building 

• Support for insurance risk transfer payments 

• Cluster post-harvest packing facilities/containers, etc.

Before Hurricane Melissa, projects like these were necessary. Now they are essential. Let’s do this!

Phases of Intervention for Farmers and their Families after a Major Hurricane

Phase 1: Emergency Relief (7-14 days post-hurricane). 

Objective: Ensure survival, restore access, and assess the scale of agricultural impact. 

Key Actions: 

• Search and rescue. 

• Shelter and Immediate needs. 

• Rapid agricultural damage assessment. 

• Road clearance. 

• Psychosocial support. 

Phase 2: Stabilization and Early Recovery (1-6 weeks post-hurricane). 

Objective: Stabilize family livelihoods and prevent secondary agricultural losses. 

Key Actions: 

• Distribution of emergency farm inputs (fertilizer, small tools and irrigation accessories) for short-term crops for replanting to secure household food and income; Livestock support - feed and vet teams to control disease. 

• Water and Irrigation restoration (community and household water tanks). 

• Foods and income support (encourage backyard gardens for quick food security; Community Clear-Up

Phase 3: Rehabilitation and Medium-Term Recovery (6 weeks - 6 months). 

Objective: Rebuild production systems and rural livelihoods. 

Key Actions: 

• Crop Rehabilitation & replanting programs- focusing on sweet potato, yam, tomato, and melon using improved, disease-resistant varieties. 

• Promote soil restoration through composting and mulching to recover fertility after flood or salt water exposure. 

• Infrastructure Repair; irrigation pumps, storage sheds, and farm roads. 

• Introduction of solar-powered water pumps where grid electricity is unreliable. 

• Facilitating access to financial grants, credit and inputs; 

• Training and Technical assistance: conduct workshops on climate-smart recovery, soil conservation, pest management and sustainable land use.

Phase 4: Long-Term Resilience and Development (6 months to 2 years)  

Objective: Build stronger, more resilient farming systems, organizations and communities. 

Key Actions: 

• Climate resilient Farming practices- Expand drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting systems, especially in drought-prone zones. 

• Promote the planting of windbreaks, mixed cropping, and contour farming to reduce erosion on hillside farms. 

• Crop diversification and value addition (Encourage agro-processing and storage (e.g. sweet potato flour, hot pepper mash. 

• Promote/support insurance risk transfer for crop coverage. 

• Community preparedness: Strengthen Farmers Field Schools and sister Committees for early warning, risk mapping and hurricane drills). 

• Social infrastructure development - rebuild housing using hurricane-resistant designs, and upgrade farm access roads and bridges.

Status

Phase 1 has started with numerous agencies and persons involved in supplying material goods (including the Canadian Government)

Phase 2 is about to start (after flood water subsides) again with assistance from Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining (MAFM), Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Phase 3 and 4 to follow. 

ADF best delivery of support would be to focus efforts on Phases 3 and 4 on the intervention for Farmers and their Families after a Major Hurricane. This would be coupled with the efforts being made by other entities in Phase 1 and 2 of the recovery program.

This would allow us time (starting in December) to make a proper high-quality pitch to ADF Alliance members and donors via our funding platform – Zeffy.com, targeting support for a larger group of 500 commercially oriented female sweet potato farmers in St. Elizabeth, and Hanover and under the umbrella of the JNRWP.

Our 'ask' is for funds to support the Phase 3 and 4 Key actions highlighted above - acquisition of planting material, solar-powered irrigation pumps, support for training/capacity building, support for insurance risk transfer payments, cluster post-harvest packing facilities/containers.