We should be deliberate in choosing local

THE 17TH anniversary of the ‘Eat Jamaican’ campaign signifies our country’s consistent efforts to encourage all Jamaicans to play our part in increasing the demand for our local agricultural produce. More specifically, through the guidance of the Jamaica Agricultural Society and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries, we continue to raise awareness of the importance of supporting our local farmers, our local fisherfolk and our local producers to ensure our food security.

The Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries plays an essential role in our economy and it is imperative that we apply strategies, implement programmes and carry out education campaigns; like teaching crop diversification under the ministry’s ‘Building Resilience and Adaptation to Climate Change while Reducing Disaster Risk’ Project, facilitating the redistribution of agricultural produce from our small farmers through the Ministry’s ‘Buy-Back

Programme’, and re-energise the support of local food through our ‘Say Yes To Fresh’ campaign respectively.

BE DELIBERATE

As consumers, when we go into the supermarkets and stores, we should be deliberate in choosing locally grown and locally made items, which results in significant increase in local food sales. This also ensures both economic and social benefits for consumers and producers alike.

Over the next five years, the Government of Jamaica will be expanding and modernising Jamaica Agriculture and Fisheries sector to enhance agricultural management as well as facilitate linkages, increase food productivity and production. As such, we recently launched our Agricultural Aide Programme where 40 young people from across Jamaica have been selected to become agricultural aides to provide support out in the field to extension officers of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority.

We have also launched a Youth in Agriculture Roadmap through the Jamaica 4-H Clubs to act as a user-friendly manual with relevant resources, strategies and guidance for our youth to become involved in agriculture and fisheries.

These initiatives are in an effort to diversify and improve our local agricultural space and make it easier, more appealing and more compelling to buy local and eat Jamaican.