Vision 2030 Jamaica: National Development Plan.

The National Development Plan is an instrument of national coverage that aims to put Jamaica in a position to achieve developed country status by 2030. The Plan builds on the following four strategic goals for the country’s development: 1) Jamaicans are empowered to achieve their fullest potential; 2) the Jamaican society is safe, cohesive and just; 3) Jamaica’s economy is prosperous; and 4) Jamaica has a healthy natural environment.
The Plan will support national food security in Jamaica. In particular, it will design food policy from a nutritional and health perspective and support the production of safe foods; align food import and local production policies with recommended dietary goals; encourage home food production including backyard gardening; promote consumption of legumes, ground provisions, fruits, vegetables and low fat foods to meet recommended dietary goals through education and public awareness programmes; and establish a comprehensive recovery system to mitigate food shortages resulting from natural and man-made hazards and emergency situations. In addition, the Plan will ensure sufficient water for achieving food security.
The Plan seeks the transformation of the Jamaican agricultural sector through a research-oriented, technological, market- driven and private sector-led revolution, which repositions agriculture to focus on high value production and contribute to national food security. The Plan will develop modern, efficient farming systems; implement development plans for key traditional and non-traditional sub-sectors; strengthen agricultural marketing structures and linkages with other sectors; expand agricultural training; improve the policy and institutional framework, infrastructure, extension services and access to credit; support long-term development of rural communities; promote environmental sustainability and strengthen hazard mitigation; and implement key food security projects. In addition, the Plan will ensure that environmental considerations become integral factors in socio-economic decision- making. To achieve this, it gives priority to increasing environmental awareness of the general population and their participation in the management of natural resources; providing an effective regulatory framework for the conservation of natural resources; incorporating environmental considerations into decision- making processes; determining the economic value of biodiversity and ecosystem services, as well as the long-term economic consequences of the continuing loss of biodiversity; and preserving and renewing ecological capital.
The Plan seeks to reduce rural poverty. In particular, it will promote growth in rural areas while protecting the environment; promote investment in services and infrastructure; build effective, integrated and participatory approaches for rural development; support development of human and social capital in rural areas; foster attention on eradicating poverty and promoting social inclusion in rural areas; strengthen the role of local authorities to accelerate social development and poverty reduction of rural populations; and support the development of rural communities as growth centres for non-farm activities.
Moreover the Plan aims at enhancing the institutional and regulatory framework for business investment and operations, developing efficient local and external markets for goods, services, labour and capital, and improving opportunities for micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, including agricultural and food systems. In particular, the instrument promotes an efficient distribution system for consistent supplies and price stability, and develops efficient farming systems including intensive, protected and mechanized agriculture.
Under the Plan, Jamaica will place greater emphasis on hazard risk management activities and programmes for reducing existing and future vulnerability. It will incorporate climate change scenarios in future economic and land use planning and provide a framework to ensure the reduction of risks associated with natural hazards by integrating hazard considerations into the development planning.
The implementation of the Plan will involve a wide range of stakeholders over the short, medium and long term, including ministries, departments and agencies of Government, civil society bodies, the private sector, trade unions and international development partners. The Plan will be implemented through a series of 3-yearly Medium Term Socio- Economic Policy Frameworks (MTFs) underpinned by a results-based monitoring and evaluation mechanism. The Cabinet Office has ultimate responsibility for implementation of the National Development Plan.