The UK actually gave Jamaica much more than £10 million for the Essex Valley project, committing a £35.515 million grant (approx. J$7.6 billion) specifically to the Essex Valley Agricultural Development Project (EVADP).
The £10 million figure comes from a different UK-Jamaica agreement. In November 2026, the two nations signed a government-to-government partnership beginning with a £10 million programme to fast-track reconstruction efforts following the devastation caused by Hurricane Melissa.

The Funding Breakdown

Project / Fund Amount Focus / Purpose
Essex Valley Agricultural Development Project £35.515 million grant from the UK Caribbean Infrastructure Fund (UKCIF) (plus a US$26.161 million CDB loan) Funding a 24,000 sq ft state-of-the-art agro-processing facility, solar-powered irrigation networks for 810 hectares of land, and 62 km of upgraded farm roads in St. Elizabeth.

Post-Hurricane Melissa Reconstruction Partnership £10 million total for the first year (funded 50-50 by the UK and Jamaica) Deploying technical experts and engineers from UK infrastructure firms (Arup, Mace, and Gleeds) to help Jamaica’s National Reconstruction and Resilience Authority (NaRRA) manage major infrastructure rebuilds.