CANAL REHABILITATION – MID CLARENDON & ST CATHERINE
Rhymesbury Project – Lines 27, 32 and 35: Rehabilitation of 0.915 km of concrete lined canal network
-100% Completed
-Reduction in water loss of 12%
-Improved service to 210 hectares of land and 19 farmers
-Provided employment for 116 temporary skilled and unskilled labourers.
-Project duration: September to November 2016.
Old Milk River Project Rehabilitation of 1 km of concrete lined canal network
-100% Completed
-Reduction in water loss of 15%
-Improved service of 200 hectares of land and to 15 farmers
-Provided employment for 125 temporary skilled and unskilled labourers
-Project duration: March to September 2016.
Parnassus Pipeline – Replacing 2.3 km of asbestos pipes with PVC pipes
-100% Completed
-Reduction in water loss of 12%
-Improved service to the Rhymesbury area
-Provided employment for 15 temporary and 125 temporary unskilled labourers
-Project duration: January – February 2017.
Monymusk Irrigation System Rehabilitation Project- the NIC is supporting the Monymusk sugar cane cultivation by operating the irrigation system
-Twenty three (23) of forty pumps now operational
-Provided service to 17 farmers on 2,236.26 hectares of land.
-Provided employment for 40 persons (18 skilled and 22 unskilled)
Old Harbour Canal (Phase 1) Rehabilitation of 840 metres of concrete lined canal network
-100% Completed
-Reduction in water loss of 18%
-Improved service to 150 hectares of land and to 30 farmers
-Provided employment for 30 temporary skilled and unskilled labourers
-Project duration: September to December 2016.
RIVER CLEANING, ST. ELIZABETH
Cleaned the Black River Upper and Lower Morass areas of aquatic growing plants and remove silt in order to mitigate against flooding of residential and farming communities.
-Total of 63.56 km cleaned in the Upper and Lower Morass areas.
-Project duration: October 2016 to December 2016
-34 contractors were employed for the period
-1,583 temporary unskilled labourers were employed
-This activity contributes to the tourism industry in the area.
IMPROVEMENT OF WATER QUALITY
Installation of four gravel filtration systems to improve water quality supplied to farmers in the Braco Irrigation District, Rio Cobre Irrigation District, Port Henderson,Yallahs – Plaintain Garden River (PGR) and Ebony Park.
-100% Completed
-Reduction in sediments in the water supply
-Improved service to 643 hectares of land and 148 farmers
-Provided employment for 27 temporary skilled and unskilled labourers
-Project duration: May to December 2016.
IMPROVEMENT OF IRRIGATION SYSTEMS
Designed and constructed pump houses at Yallahs – Plaintain Garden (PGR) & Spring Plains/Ebony Park
-100% Completed
-Improved service to 219 hectares of land and 115 farmers
-Increase in command area of 814 hectares
-Provided employment 35 temporary skilled and unskilled labourers
-Project duration: March to December 2016.
ESSEX VALLEY PROJECT, ST. ELIZABETH
To enhance the production and productivity of farmers on 700 hectares in Essex Valley
-Obtained Public Investment Management Secretarial (PIMSEC) approval
-Implementing Agencies NIC and Agro-Investment Corporation
-Implementation to commence during 2017/18 FY and be completed by March 31, 2020
-Grant Funds being finalized with the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB) for US$41.66M
-Expected to provide direct employment for a minimum of 360 individuals during construction- Labourers, Artisans, Contractors and Specialist Crews
-Additional 1,400 persons to be directly employed in farming activities.
ENERGY MANAGEMENT
Implementation of cost saving measures such as: Irrigation scheduling, Rate Changes (JPS) and Installation of Variable Frequency Drives (VFDs)
-Approx.. 8% savings in energy cost with a value of $20M has been achieved.
SCHOLARSHIP AWARDS 2015/16 – 2016/17
Fourteen Scholarships valued at over Seven Hundred Thousand Dollars ($700,000.00) were awarded to Secondary and Tertiary students who are children of employees at NIC.
The National Irrigation Commission Limited (NIC) is an Agency of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation with the main objectives to manage, operate, maintain and expand existing and future irrigation schemes and systems.
