Making an impact
Food security threat spawns eco-village in Hannah Town
The threat to food security in Jamaica, triggered by the war between Russia and Ukraine, has given birth to an eco-village project in the Corporate Area community of hannah Town aimed at teaching residents how to grow their own crops and feed themselves, as well as make a profit.
The project was launched last Friday at St Anne’s Catholic Church in Hannah Town by not-for-profit organisation Making an Impact Altogether Foundation (MAIA), which has been working with the residents, transferring knowledge of community building through sustainable programmes that are designed to empower young people for the future.
Sited on the church grounds, the eco-village consists of a 100 ft x 50 ft eco-garden, with 2,500 assorted vegetable seedlings in raised bed gardens and four 12-foot tall trees in 80 tons of MAIA’S proprietary organic blend of compost.
MAIA recently launched a slightly different programme at Golden Heights in the neighbouring Denham Town community.
Reverend Peter Espeut, pastor of St Anne’s, told the Jamaica Observer that the project is vital because people will now learn how to utilise their idle backyard space to grow their own food.
“This project is very important to us because we have our congregation here in Hannah Town and Denham Town. This is an urban area that is not known for agriculture, but at the same time, everybody has to eat, and that means they have to depend on Coronation Market produce which come from St Elizabeth and Clarendon and so on. This gives the people knowledge to grow food in their back yard,” Rev Espeut said.
“Nowadays, with the war in Ukraine and the world’s food security in the air, we don’t need to depend on St Elizabeth and Clarendon any more. We hope that there will be a multiplier effect and we hope that some of the young and older people who worked on this project will plant stuff at their yard and encourage their neighbours. It is very important for us, because preaching the gospel is not only about salvation for the soul, it is also betterment of the body. When we preach the gospel, we also work to improve the health of the people in the area,” Espeut said.
Also embracing the project was Archbishop of Kingston Kenneth Richards. He argued that with people unaware of when the war in Ukraine will end, it is important to put things in place to cushion whatever effects may come.
“We see the challenge that is arising out of the Ukraine and Russia conflict and how that is going to be putting a stranglehold and restrict commerce and commodities necessary for our survival. This, therefore, becomes the model and example of what is possible. It is hoped that people will make such ventures available now, like home gardening and community projects like this as we seek to ensure food sustainability and security. This creates such an opportunity,” Archbishop Richards said.
Marvin Campbell, chief executive officer of MAIA, wants as many Hannah Town residents as possible to participate in the project. He is also hoping that, given MAIA’S involvement in Denham Town and Hannah Town, the project can unite residents of both communities.
“The next phase is for us to now efficiently train these community members so they now get a hands-on training in their own garden and in and around agriculture on a whole,” Campbell said.
“Whatever they produce here will be sold, not to the market, but to the surrounding schools,” Campbell said.