Almond Tree Farmers market pushing back against COVID-19 jitters

What is almost certainly the first publicly advertised actual (as against virtual) event of its kind to take place in the capital for many months now, the Almond Tree Farmers Market will be staged over four consecutive Saturdays, commencing Saturday, November 14, and concluding on Saturday, December 5, at 229 Lance Gibbs Street, Queenstown, inside a gym that is now out of use on account of the COVID-19 pandemic. The lady ‘running the show’ is Diana Chin.

The primary objective of the event, Diana told the Stabroek Business when we met with her earlier this week, is to support small farmers, agro-processors, and other small businesses, that have felt the economic impact of the pandemic, specifically the officially implemented strictures that have placed restrictions on their ability to trade. Dianna understands only too well that the boldness of her initiative does not gainsay the general environment of public concern associated with public gatherings. Accordingly, she is aware that her most important challenge is that of providing the authorities, as much as the public, with assurances that she has covered all of her bases insofar as observing the COVID-19 protocols is concerned.

She was only too willing to provide such assurances, as this newspaper sought that she had satisfied all of the procedures and protocols that have to do with the safety and well-being of the people whom she hopes, will show up in the space that used to be occupied by the Fitness Gym

Diana Chin

for the Almond Tree event.

These days, she considers herself a retired gym owner. After twenty years ‘in the game’, COVID-19 became her ‘way out’. These days, she says, she is preoccupied with being a made-in-Guyana enthusiast. The promotion of Guyanese craft, jewellery and food being one of her current preoccupations.

But it is the issue of just how she managed to clear all of the various hurdles that would have preceded the ‘green light’ for the Almond Tree event that had to be dealt with first. It would have taken an understanding of the various regulations and procedures associated with holding such an event at this time to secure the ‘green light’ from the Georgetown Mayor and City Council, the COVID-19 Task Force, and the Guyana Police Force.

It is her self-sufficiency, and sustainability-related concerns, that led her to where she is. The Permaculture Group, of which she is a member, is concerned with the development of agricultural ecosystems intended to be sustainable and selfsufficient and that is why she is hoping that The Almond Tree Farmers’ Market will attract vendors offering organic produce.

The stalls inside the former gym, all thirty-three of them, are already taken. Her focus now is on attracting buyers to the event. Going forward, she will be utilising a multi-media approach to get visitors there. She wishes she could have accommodated a greater number of female agro-processors in the building. Considerations of space preclude this.

Having established itself as one of the country’s most ardent supporters of agroprocessors in the micro- and small-business sectors, the Guyana Marketing Corporation has assured the organisers of their full support for the venture.

Beyond the Farmers’ Market itself, which extends from 7:00 to 13:00, the Almond Tree event will feature discourses on health and diet-related issues in the context of the prevailing pandemic.

Limited space has persuaded the organisers to agree to the sharing of stalls though not without the application of precautionary measures. The rules stipulate that no more than two persons can occupy any one stall simultaneously. Booth costs range from $3,500 to $10,000. Those costs allow vendors’ occupancy for each of the four dates on which the event will be hold. Some stalls will be located indoors and some outside. Vendors’ and buyers’ hands will be sanitised and their temperature taken. Social distancing protocols will limit the numbers occupying the indoor space at any point in time. There will be attendants on hand to ensure compliance with the strictures.

The organisers’ environmental sensitivities have led them to ask persons attending the event to bring with them, reusable bags to store their purchases.

The event, Diana says, will also witness the emergence of her Encouraging Early Entrepreneurship (EEE) initiative, a project that embraces children whose hobbies in areas that include craft, food and nutrition and gardening, among others, have metamorphosed into startup entrepreneurial ventures. Four such young persons offering ice cream, pottery, cookies, and chicken will be allocated stalls free of cost to display and market their respective products.

Asked about the likelihood of there being continuity to the initiative Diana is unsure. “I don’t know. Let’s see how this goes,” is as far as she is prepared to go on this issue.