Abinader launches RD$200 million program to modernize Dominican agriculture
San Juan. DR.- The Dominican government launched the National Mechanization Program (Pronamec), with an investment of more than RD$200 million, as part of a strategy to modernize agriculture, reduce production costs, increase productivity and address the sector’s dependence on foreign labor.
President Luis Abinader led the launch in San Juan, where the first phase will begin with mechanization demonstration plots. The initiative will subsequently expand to Las Matas de Santa Cruz, Valverde, La Vega, Constanza and Arenoso, where producers will receive training and test machinery adapted to different crops and regions.
Agriculture Minister Francisco Oliverio Espaillat Bencosme said Pronamec will focus on three areas: training, financing and expansion. The government will work with Infotep and equipment distributors to train specialized operators and mechanics, while the Agricultural Bank, Bandex and private banks will provide financing options for small and medium-sized producers to acquire machinery. Cooperative and associative models will also allow smaller producers to share equipment and reduce costs.
The program will eventually expand nationwide by modernizing Prosema and increasing the Ministry of Agriculture’s machinery services.
According to Espaillat Bencosme, mechanization will also help address labor shortages and rising agricultural costs. He noted that crops such as rice, corn, sorghum and beans can reach mechanization levels of around 90%, while the goal for plantains and bananas is to exceed 60%.
Pronamec will cover the entire production chain, from land preparation and planting to crop management, harvesting and post-harvest activities. The minister said the initiative represents an investment in agricultural productivity, food security, technology and the future of Dominican farming.
Agriculture contributes approximately 5.6% of the country’s GDP, 8.8% of national employment and 11.8% of exports, according to figures cited by the minister.
