Who We Are
The Agro-Investment Corporation is the national agribusiness promotion and facilitation agency in the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries and Mining (MoAFM), with the mandate to package, promote and facilitate agri-business investment opportunities in collaboration with stakeholders and investors. Agro-Invest is also tasked with mobilizing funding opportunities and providing partnerships with the private sector, through the leveraging of government-owned assets.
Main Services
Business Planning
Agricultural Investment Facilitation
Market Linkages (Connecting Investors to Local & Global Markets)
On-Farm Technical Support
Tractor Services
Agricultural Land Matching Services
Products Offered
Development of Global Gap Certified Agro Parks
Development of Investment Profiles for Crops
Source External Funding for Agricultural Development
Agricultural Lands (source, develop & lease)
Processing Facilities
Warehouse Rental
Beef Cattle Genetics
Agro-Investment Corporation is an agricultural investment facilitation, advisory and management company. We function as the business facilitation department within the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, with a focus on agricultural investment promotion and facilitation, project development and market development. Agro-Invest covers the investment chain from the identification of opportunities through feasibility studies, due diligence and business planning to fundraising, project management, long term business performance monitoring and technical support. Agro-Invest seeks to activate, stimulate, facilitate and undertake agricultural development for economic advancement and well-being of the Jamaican people.
At Agro-Invest we see agricultural production as a business activity that must be propelled by market intelligence. We provide entrepreneurs and existing agro-producers with a highly diverse, innovative and competent staff to aid the transition into value-added production and modernize marketing systems being utilized.
Strategic Objectives
There are five (5) strategic objectives that will seek to ensure that the Mission is realized.
These are:
Increase the competitiveness of Jamaica’s agriculture in domestic and global markets
Facilitate investments by providing support services to investors
Facilitate optimal and effective use of state-owned properties and fixed assets
Contribute to the expansion of productive capacity of the sector by infrastructure expansion
Increase the attractiveness of the sector to younger, skilled, and trained entrepreneurs
History
Agro-Investment Corporation (Agro-Invest) is an agricultural investment facilitation entity arising from the closure of Agricultural Support Services Productive Projects (ASSP) and the need for a revitalization of the Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC). Cabinet in October 2008 gave approval for a merger to allow for a cohesive and supportive environment for sustainable agricultural development. However based on legal advice it was later felt that a merger was not necessary for the execution of the intended mandate of the Agro-Invest, and so a name change from The Agricultural Development Corporation Act to the Agro-Investment Corporation Act was passed on June 1, 2009. This gave birth to the Agro-Investment Corporation
The Agricultural Support Services Productive Projects Fund Limited (ASSPPFL)
The ASSPPFL is a wholly owned Government of Jamaica company that was incorporated under the Companies Act in 2001. The Company was established to mobilize and manage a pool of funds, made available by the IDB, to enhance the competitiveness of Jamaica's agriculture in domestic and global markets. The company was established with wide ranging powers that include, inter alia, the following:
To receive contributions or donations of funds and resources from international or national sources and to invest such funds and resources in such projects, ventures of activities as may be determined from time to time
To advance or lend money for the purposes of carrying out the objects of the company
To provide financial assistance, as appropriate, to organizations for establishment, carrying on or expansion of development enterprises
To borrow or raise money (with approval of the Minister of Finance)
To invest the capital and funds of the company in any fixed income securities issued by the GOJ or any reputable financial institution
The Agriculture Development Corporation
The ADC was established under the ADC Act of 1952 to encourage, assist and promote the development of agriculture in Jamaica. Its functions included facilitating, processing and marketing of agricultural produce through the use of lands owned by the ADC or managed on behalf of the MoAF. Over the years the Corporation has contracted its operations and now owns and manages the Amity Hall farm, Minard, New River farms and the Agricultural Marketing Corporation (AMC).