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Home | Jamaicans to benefit from Backyard Gardening Programme to boost food security
Residents in urban and peri-urban spaces across the island are to benefit from the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries’ Backyard Gardening Programme geared at boosting the country’s food security and emphasizing the importance of eating local produce.
A total of $10million has been allocated for the programme, which will see the distribution of 2,500 backyard gardening kits to grow produce such as ockra, tomato, peas, beans, carrot, onion, cabbage, callaloo, pepper, and scallion.
Portfolio Minister, Hon. Floyd Green, said the programme, which is aligned to the Ministry’s Say Yes to Fresh Programme, strengthens the country’s food security by actively getting Jamaicans to participate in the growing of their own food to feed themselves.
“We’re encouraging Jamaicans to devote a space in their backyards for the production of two to four vegetable crops per year. We want Jamaicans to get directly involved in growing their own food and we’re taking opportunity which has been presented because of COVID-19,” he said.
He was speaking at the launch of the Backyard Gardening Programme at the HEART College of Construction Services in Portmore, St. Catherine on February 19.
A component of the programme also targets the youth and the elderly.
The Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) will lead the initiative with interested persons applying for kits on the agency’s website at www.rada.gov.jm before the February 28th deadline.
Principal Director of Technical Services at RADA Marina Young, in her remarks, said persons engaging in backyard gardening would enable participants to learn to use their time gainfully in knowledge-sharing and could open their yes to a wider business opportunity that may present itself.
