Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon Karl Samuda, presenting a shovel to one of the winners in the essay competition organised by the Praedial Larceny Prevention Unit (PLPU) of the Ministry. The occasion was the inaugural awards ceremony for the competition, held on June 28, 2016 at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel.

Nineteen-year-old Benjamin Frazer of the Ardenne High School in St. Andrew and nine-year-old Asher Harrison of Greater Portmore Primary in St. Catherine were the winners of the inaugural essay competition organized by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries (MICAF).
The students received attractive prizes at an awards ceremony held at The Jamaica Pegasus hotel on June 28, 2016.
The prizes included tuition support and book vouchers from the Jamaica Dairy Development Board; gift baskets from Grace Kennedy; trophies from Newport Fersan; Certificates of Excellence from the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries; and Tablets from Digicel Jamaica.
The competition was held as part of the PLPU’s public-education campaign to sensitise Jamaicans about the devastating impact of praedial larceny on the agricultural sector and the livelihood of farmers.
Primary-school students were required to write an essay on the topic “How does Praedial Larceny affect the Farmers in Your Community?,” while those at the secondary level were required to submit a response to the question “What are the Socio-Economic Impacts of Praedial Larceny on the Jamaican Agricultural Sector?”
Minister of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture and Fisheries, Hon. Karl Samuda, in his remarks at the award ceremony, commended the students on their participation and the quality of the essays that were submitted.
“This is an indication that Jamaica’s future is in good hands,” he said.

Asher, who read excerpts from his essay, said that writing it was challenging, but he did a lot of research, and applied himself to the task.

Greater Portmore Primary students, Shamoy Dixon and Jordane Harvey, placed second and third respectively, in the primary category. For the secondary category, second place went to Sicourney Jackson of the Queen’s Girls’ School in St. Andrew, and third place to Kamal Henry of Denbigh High School in Clarendon.

The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) will set up school gardens at the second place of schools. PLPU will provide stationery to the top students.
Sponsors of the competition included AG-CHEM Limited, Agro Grace Jamaica, All Island Banana Growers Association, Digicel Jamaica, GraceKennedy, Hi-Pro Ace Supercentre, Jamaica Dairy Development Board, Jamaica Goat and Sheep Farmers Association, JP Tropical Foods Limited, Newport Fersan Jamaica Limited, RADA, and Terra Nova All-Suite Hotel.

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JIS

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