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it left more than damaged crops and flooded fields in its wake. For hundreds of rural women farmers, the storm wiped out months of hard work, disrupted household incomes, and threatened the livelihoods that sustain families and communities.Yet nearly a year later, these women remain at the forefront of recovery in St Elizabeth and, in many ways, Jamaica’s recovery depends on them.To support their efforts, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is working in partnership with the Jamaica Network for Rural Women Producers (JNRWP) to launch an early recovery cash assistance programme that will provide unconditional cash assistance to 380 rural women smallholder farmers across the hardest hit parishes. The initiative is expected to benefit 1,140 people, helping women rebuild livelihoods, restart agricultural production, and strengthen resilience against future shocks.The programme comes as the United Nations formally recognizes the importance of women in agriculture through “The International Year of the Woman Farmer” in 2026. The Women at the Heart of Jamaica's Food SystemsFrom farming and livestock production to agro-processing, marketing, and innovation, women play a critical role in ensuring food reaches households and communities. Their work extends beyond the farm gate, supporting families, contributing to local economies, and even helping supply food for schools and community programmes."Farming is not just about growing food," one participant shared, "What happens on the farm affects our families, our workers, our customers, and our communities."While women carry significant responsibilities for managing businesses and household food needs, they often face unique barriers in accessing labour, land, financing, and opportunities for growth.A Storm That Changed More Than the LandscapeFor many of the women in the producer network, Hurricane Melissa represented more than a temporary setback. Members of the network described losing crops ready for harvest, farm infrastructure, irrigation systems, poultry operations, and valuable seed banks that spoiled after prolonged power outages affected cold storage facilities. Others lost months of expected income overnight.Recovery was made even more challenging by competing demands across affected communities."There weren't enough workers or builders available," one farmer shared. "Everyone was trying to rebuild at the same time, and naturally homes had to come first."Labour shortages also continue to affect productivity. Women farmers described difficulties finding workers, rising labour costs, and the additional challenges women may encounter in male-dominated environments. Some are now exploring mechanization as a way to reduce labour constraints and increase autonomy. Today, many farmers continue to feel the impact. Some reported changes in soil quality following the storm, while others faced unexpected market dynamics as excesses of crops in the first planting after the hurricane, such as pumpkins and carrots, reduced prices and earnings. Challenges That Existed Before the HurricaneMany of the challenges facing women farmers in Jamaica existed long before Hurricane Melissa. Limited access to finance remains a major barrier, with many women leasing rather than owning land and, therefore, lacking the collateral required to secure loans. Others noted that farming is often not recognized as a stable profession by financial institutions, making it difficult to access the credit needed to invest and grow their businesses. "It can sometimes be easier to get a vehicle loan than a farming loan," one woman observed.For those with assets that could serve as collateral, the impact of back-to-back hurricanes damaged or destroyed them, adding another obstacle to recovery.At the same time, recovery is unfolding amid growing climate pressures. In St. Elizabeth, often referred to as Jamaica's breadbasket because of its critical role in supplying food to domestic markets, women farmers highlighted the impacts of drought linked to El Niño, Saharan dust events, unpredictable rainfall, and persistent water scarcity, with many communities remaining heavily dependent on rainfall due to limited irrigation infrastructure.For these producers, Hurricane Melissa was not an isolated disaster but part of a series of interconnected shocks. The combined impacts of Hurricanes Beryl and Melissa together with the current El Nino continue to put livelihoods, agricultural productivity, and the resilience of communities that play a vital role in Jamaica's food security at riskWhy Flexible Cash Support Matters Many women spoke candidly about the support that helped them most after the hurricane.While building materials were critical in the immediate aftermath, many women emphasized the importance of having access to direct financial assistance that could be used according to individual needs and priorities.Unconditional cash assistance programmes recognize that women farmers themselves are best placed to decide how funds should be used and places them in the driver’s seat of recovery efforts.For some, the cash may help purchase seeds, livestock feed, tools, or agricultural inputs. For others, it may support transportation, infrastructure repairs, utility costs, or serve to cover essential household needs while farms recover.The women noted that rebuilding a livelihood cannot be separated from supporting a family."As much as rebuilding your farm is important, you still have to manage household needs," one participant shared.Thanks to flexible funding from WFP’s private sector partners, women are able to access cash support that empowers them to make the decisions that help them to recover more quickly, while maintaining dignity, choice, and agency.Rebuilding with the next shock in mind Looking ahead, it was made clear that efforts must not only focus on recovery, but also on building long-term resilience.The women highlighted that insurance, preparedness planning, and climate-smart agricultural practices are important tools for reducing future risks. They spoke about intercropping and crop diversification as strategies that can help farms withstand increasingly unpredictable conditions.Ultimately, they recognized that, while disasters cannot always be prevented, stronger preparedness and rapid deployment of recovery support can make a significant difference.For Jamaica's rural women farmers, rebuilding is about much more than recovering from Hurricane Melissa. It is about protecting livelihoods, supporting families, strengthening communities, and ensuring local food systems continue to thrive.Through targeted investments and timely support, WFP and JNRWP partnership is helping ensure that the women who feed Jamaica have the resources they need to recover, adapt, and continue nourishing their communities for years to come. Written by: Bryanna Hadaway | Senior Communications Associate | WFP Caribbean Multi-Country Office