Kingston, Jamaica — Jamaica is being positioned as a regional model for agro-industrial development and technology transfer, as the United Nations Industrial Development Organization partners (UNIDO) with the Jamaica Business Development Corporation (JBDC) to roll-out targeted support for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises (MSMEs) operating in the agro-processing sector.
The initiative, implemented under the Industrial Development and Technology Transfer among the Member States of the Caribbean Community Project and funded by the Government of Japan, will see Jamaica serving as the demonstration country for advancing modern, resilient and competitive agro-industrial systems.
At the centre of the programme is a Call for Applications, opening April 16 through May 15, inviting MSMEs to access support designed to address long-standing constraints in the sector, including outdated technologies, limited processing capacity and vulnerability to external shocks.
Acting Chief Executive Officer of JBDC, Harold Davis, said the intervention comes at a critical time for the sector.
“We believe that the agro-processing sector represents a significant growth area for our MSMEs and, by extension, for Jamaica. This project will assist us in strengthening those agro-processors such that they can have far greater resilience in their production and business processes.”
He noted that many agro-processors continue to face structural limitations that impact productivity and stability. “Some of our agro-processing MSMEs do not have the appropriate and most effective technologies… so their vulnerability to external shocks is heightened, and their ability to produce at the highest levels of productivity is compromised.”
Hurricane Melissa Response
The programme takes on added urgency following the impact of Hurricane Melissa in October 2025, which disrupted production systems and exposed weaknesses across the agriculture and agro-processing sectors.
Davis pointed to gaps in business continuity planning that left many enterprises vulnerable.
“Melissa revealed that the diversity of value chain supply, both forward and backward, was not as present as it ought to have been. So, in other words, like, for instance, the diversity of value chain, most agro-processors produce from raw material from X person, or Y person or Z person. Good business practices, resilient business model practices will tell you that you need to diversify that supply such that you have from the West and you have from the East and you have from North and so on, so that when one channel is compromised, your business itself is not compromised.”
Through the Ministry of Industry, Investment & Commerce, JBDC’s post-hurricane assessments highlighted the scale of disruption, including damage to productive assets, interruptions in supply chains, and reduced operational capacity among enterprises. Against this backdrop, the partnership has been refined to deliver practical, high-impact support that addresses both immediate recovery needs and long-term sector resilience.
Selected MSMEs will receive integrated support packages, combining access to modern agro-processing equipment with technical advisory and capacity building. This support will enable MSMEs to restore production, improve efficiency, enhance product quality, and build resilience to future shocks. Particular consideration will be given to enterprises affected by Hurricane Melissa, in line with the project’s adaptive, recovery-oriented approach.
The first intervention area is equipment support for the JBDC Agro-Processing Incubator. This component is intended to strengthen redundancy and expand the operational capacity of the incubator so that it can better serve agro-processors, particularly during periods when their own facilities are compromised. At this stage, priority equipment identified through joint assessments includes 6 pieces of equipment (steam jacketed kettle, hammer mill, dehydrator, and freeze dryer, density meter and screw press). These investments will enhance JBDC’s ability to provide a stable, safe, and functional processing environment, thereby supporting business continuity, safeguarding jobs, and strengthening agro-processing value chains.
Davis emphasised that technology transfer goes beyond physical tools.
“Technology in its root meaning does not only refer to equipment, it means know-how as well… it is about upskilling MSMEs and helping them build more resilient business models.”
Strategic Partnerships
The partnership also reinforces JBDC’s role as a central support hub for MSMEs, particularly in the agro-processing segment of the value chain. “In us they [UNIDO]see a solid partner. They see a partner that understands, that has the same level of understanding of the MSME growth strategy like they do, and that just underscores… JBDC’s general philosophy and strategy and its alignment with international best practise.”
Davis added that such collaborations are critical to expanding the agency’s reach. “There are over 400,000 entrepreneurs in Jamaica… partnerships like these allow us to reach further and deeper, enhancing both the quality of support and the number of businesses we can impact.”
As the Government of Jamaica pushes for productivity, the JBDC describes the project as timely. “It’s a timely project… it is right up our thrust to ensure that MSMEs are fully equipped to produce effectively, profitably, scalably and internationally competitive.”
The project will target approximately 50 MSMEs over a three-year period (2024-2029). Interested persons who meet the eligibility criteria are invited to apply at https://www.jbdc.net/project/strengthening-the-competitiveness-and-resilience-of-msmes-in-jamaicas-agro-industrial-value-chains/.
The JBDC is an agency under the Ministry of Industry Investment & Commerce (MIIC).
-END-
