Agri ministry allocates $10m to procure planting kits for backyard garden programme

MINISTER OF Agriculture and Fisheries Floyd Green says $10 million will be allocated to procure 2,500 planting kits under a Say Yes to Fresh Backyard Garden Programme that is geared at bolstering the country’s food security and emphasising the importance of eating local produce.

The minister said the aim of the initiative is to equip 2,500 households across the island with their own backyard gardens.

“We need more Jamaicans to appreciate what goes into farming, both the joys and the challenges,” he said.

Green was speaking at the launch of Eat Jamaican Month at the ministry’s offices at Hope Gardens on November 10.

The Say Yes to Fresh Campaign encourages Jamaicans to buy more local produce from farmers.

The agriculture minister also informed that his ministry will accelerate a programme encouraging people to craft innovative ways to prepare local produce.

Launched by the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) in 2003, Eat Jamaican Month is a national call to action to encourage Jamaicans to plant and consume more local foods.

BUY BACK PROGRAMME

In the meantime, 1.2 million kilogrammes of food was delivered to consumers under the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries’ Buy Back Programme.

This update was provided by Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) Chief Executive Officer Peter Thompson at the launch of Eat

Jamaican Month at the ministry’s Hope Gardens’ offices.

Through the Buy-Back Programme, excess produce was purchased from farmers impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.

“From the onset of the pandemic, egg farmers were challenged to get their production into the market, and we used the mobile markets to move it to the consumers at a subsidised rate,” said Thompson.

He said RADA will continue to work with farmers to improve and increase production.

The RADA CEO acknowledged that there has been improved consumption of local foods, especially those perceived to be exotic, such as cantaloupe and squash.