Hurricane Melissa, the strongest ever to hit Jamaica, devastated the island's agriculture with winds up to 185 miles per hour, killing 45 people and causing economic losses equal to 30 percent of last year's GDP. Farmers in key regions like St. Elizabeth Parish lost crops, livestock, and equipment, exacerbating food security concerns. Authorities have announced a $3 billion rebuilding plan amid calls for climate-resilient practices.
Three weeks after Hurricane Melissa struck Jamaica on October 23, 2025, the island grapples with widespread destruction. The storm, with winds reaching 185 miles per hour, downed power lines, leaving 70 percent of the country without electricity initially. Flooding, landslides, and debris blocked roads, hindering aid to rural areas. Authorities confirmed 45 deaths and 15 people missing, while the hurricane also affected Cuba, Haiti, and the Dominican Republic.
Prime Minister Andrew Holness reported economic losses at roughly 30 percent of last year's gross domestic product, a figure the United Nations Development Programme expects to rise. Agriculture, employing nearly one in five Jamaicans according to the World Bank, suffered immensely. Over 70,000 farmers and 41,500 hectares of farmland were impacted, particularly in St. Elizabeth Parish, Jamaica's breadbasket. Crops like bananas, sugarcane, and yams were ruined, and more than a million animals died, including half of Caribbean Broilers' poultry stock.
The storm hit just as farmers recovered from 2024's Hurricane Beryl. Agricultural Minister Floyd Green announced a $3 billion plan to aid rebuilding, with seed distribution starting this week. Tens of thousands now require immediate food assistance, per the UNDP. Urban markets, such as Kingston's Coronation Market, are emptier as supplies dwindle.
Humanitarian efforts focus on essentials. The Jamaica Red Cross reports farmers salvaging what they can, with Communications Officer Esther Pinnock stating, “Farmers are trying to salvage what they can. But many will be starting from scratch.” Water to Wine has distributed water filters in Montego Bay, and Jennifer Jones of Hunger Relief International emphasized, “Without meeting these essentials, long-term recovery simply isn’t possible.” Informal aid includes New York-based Marcia Wigley and Tay Simms, who raised over $5,000 for relatives in Manchester and St. Elizabeth Parishes, where trees were toppled and water tanks destroyed. Wigley noted, “The biggest concern... is food,” adding, “It’ll take a while for them to be able to sustain themselves again. You can’t just grow crops overnight.”
Post-Beryl, the Red Cross promoted climate-smart practices like hilly farming and livestock protection. Pinnock warned, “What we have in place is inadequate,” urging innovative rebuilding for intensifying storms due to climate change.