School gardens bring joy to the agriculture ministry

Western Bureau:

J.C. Hutchinson, the junior minister in the Ministry of Industry, Commerce, Agriculture, and Fisheries, says his ministry is fully committed to improving the quality of the breakfast being served to primary-school students under the School Breakfast Programme.

“I am pleased to see the quality of the garden here at Wakefield. I am encouraged because I know that a good breakfast programme can be maintained. The programme is not only for those students on PATH, but for all students in the system,” said Hutchinson, while addressing the launch of The School Garden School Feeding Programme at Wakefield Primary School in Trelawny last Friday.

Hutchinson was so impressed by the garden at the Trelawny-based school that, without prompting, he told Michael James, the school’s principal, that he would be only too happy to provide him with an additional 10 acres of sugar lands to expand his garden.

“Trelawny was at one time the leading producers of strawberry and you have an agronomist working with you. Let him guide you into the growing of strawberry. You can earn from it and further improve the offerings from your school. There are 465 gardens throughout Jamaica, and I want to emphasise that we should encourage a culture of ‘from the garden to the canteen’ in our schools,” said Hutchinson.

TRAINING GROUND

Courtney Taylor, the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) parish manager for Trelawny, told the audience that in addition to providing for the school-feeding programme, the school gardens are also being used as a training ground for new farmers.

“There is a School Garden Committee established here in Trelawny. Seven schools have been selected to pilot the programme. It is a joint operation between RADA and the Jamaica 4-H Clubs. These gardens will not only be for the schools involved, but also as training grounds for farmers,” he said.

Taylor also noted that at Wakefield, the school was being a good example to all farmers, as it was practising terracing, which allows farmers to plant crops on hillsides.

James, who was clearly quite please with the garden at his school, said they are involved in both crop and livestock farming.

“In our garden, there are 42 different crops. In addition to the crops, we have a poultry unit, and coming shortly we will be rearing rabbits,” said James. “I have a number of parents and a volunteer agronomist working with our students. I will be taking up the minister’s offer of land to grow strawberries.”