Fire wipes out coffee farmer’s 50-year livelihood

For more than five decades, coffee farmer Basil Willis worked the land in Westphalia, St Andrew, building a livelihood from the soil.

Now, at 68, he is facing the painful reality of starting over after a fire swept through the Blue Mountain farming community, destroying his entire 2.5-acre coffee farm and coming dangerously close to his home.

Willis was among several coffee farmers who suffered major losses when the blaze, which residents said started in the early hours of August 26, spread rapidly through the area.

“I saw smoke at a distance, around 5 o’clock in the morning. I went to check on one of my neighbouring farms and saw the helicopter and the smoke coming up. By the time I got back home, the farm was already destroyed, and the fire had almost reached my house. The farmers had to come together and help to save it.”

Willis said the damage represents the destruction of years of hard work and an immediate threat to his livelihood.

The fire left sections of the Westphalia area scorched, with coffee plants and other crops destroyed. Some farmers also suffered damage to their homes as the blaze moved through the community.

The Jamaica Agricultural Commodities Regulatory Authority (JACRA), concerned about the impact of the fire on farmers and the wider coffee industry, led a delegation into the affected area to assess the damage and speak with those who lost crops and property.

The losses are particularly devastating for coffee farmers because rebuilding is not a quick process. Coffee plants can take approximately three to four years to come into fruition, meaning farmers who lose mature plants could face years of waiting before their new crops begin producing.

Many farmers also depend on inter-cropping to generate income between coffee harvests. Those additional crops were also destroyed in the fire, leaving affected farmers facing an even greater financial setback.

For Willis, the immediate concern is how to begin rebuilding what was lost.

“The main things we will need now are seedlings and fertilizer to help us start over.”

His situation has highlighted the risks facing farmers as Jamaica continues to experience dry conditions in several parts of the island.

Patrick Pitterson, acting senior director for coffee at JACRA, said the destruction at Westphalia should serve as a warning to farmers about the dangers of fires during prolonged dry periods.

“The loss of coffee farms in areas such as Westphalia, Blue Mountain, demonstrates the need for every farmer to take active steps to prevent and control bush fires during the dry season. A small flame can spread rapidly through dry grass, leaves, pruned branches, and coffee waste, especially during strong winds,” he said.

JACRA is urging farmers and members of the public to exercise extreme caution when using fire, particularly when burning vegetation, pruning, household waste or other combustible material.

The authority is advising farmers to avoid burning during extreme dryness or strong winds and, where burning is legally permitted, to obtain the necessary approval, establish firebreaks and have water and firefighting tools readily available.

Farmers are also being encouraged to clear dry grass, leaves, branches and other flammable material from around farms, homes, access roads, processing areas and storage facilities, while maintaining firebreaks around farm boundaries and between sections of their properties.

JACRA said smoke or fires should be reported immediately rather than assuming someone else has already made a report.