Jermaine Bryan fuses tech and agriculture

Jermaine Bryan never liked getting up early and doing work on his grandmother's farm in Hanover.

However, those days of planting, watering and weeding, nurtured a seed in him that would later bear fruits that can contribute significantly to food security in Jamaica. The 33-year-old entrepreneur shared that farming didn't factor into his career choice while at school.

"I was a science student, technically gifted, always doing science subjects. I wanted to become an engineer at first, and then I wanted to become a pilot. At some point, I even wanted to be a cadet or a soldier. But life had other plans," Bryan said.

When the pandemic put the world on pause, he started thinking about survival and stability. He realised that "life can change in an instant, and that's when everything clicked for [him]".

That 'click' merged his tech background and his memories of farm life and turned into Blueprint Farms Ltd., his successful Kingston-based vertical hydroponics company. The technology makes use of vertical farming, which involves a system of growing crops in towers without soil, using 95 per cent less water, and little to no pesticides.

"It's basically a vertically stacked, layered tower that has about 10 or 11 rows of crops, depending on the model. In one square metre of space, you could grow 10 heads of lettuce versus three. To me, it's a no-brainer for the future of Jamaica's food security," he said.

But Bryan said the road to success was paved with challenges.

"I got a lot of pushback. Some people even told me the pipes I was using were unsafe. But I believed in myself so much that I just kept pushing. I built one model for myself, tested it over and over, and showed people the lettuce, the kale, the parsley growing. Eventually, some started to believe."

Now, Blueprint Farms is supplying households and businesses with towers that can grow everything from lettuce to kale in tight spaces.

"Blueprint Farms creates a blueprint for farmers to grow more efficiently and effectively. We're not here to replace traditional farming, we're here to assist. Even in the city where land is expensive, you can grow a large quantity of crops in a small space. It's fresh from farm to table with little to no chemicals."

And for those who think farming is all about getting their hands dirty or isn't profitable, Bryan begs to differ.

"If you want to be a 'dolly' or a 'cha-cha boy', it always starts with your health. If your body's not healthy, you can't be cha-cha none at all. Even if you don't want to make a business out of it, try something small at home. It's like therapy. You plant the seed, you water it, you nurture it, and then when it's time to pick and eat, you have a self-fulfilment and joy."

Blueprint's smaller residential towers start at around $30,000, while large-scale commercial installations can run into the hundreds of thousands. Still, Bryan insists the investment pays back quickly.

"You get a return on your investment within one year or less once you have a steady market. The future is bright. Jamaica can reduce imports, grow more of what we eat, and even export to countries without these technologies. That's the vision."