National Backyard Garden Day Lauded

Details

Homes & Gardens

Sunday, 24 April 2011 02:30

By caribarena news

Antigua St John's - The Ministry of Agriculture, Lands, Housing & the Environment hosted its first National Backyard Garden Day on Independence Drive on Thursday.

Over 1,400 new and existing farmers flooded the ministry's courtyard to collect several varieties of vegetable seedlings, fertilizer inputs, and fruits trees, sold at a minimal cost, in exchange for a plant bag. They were also able to browse the displays from inputs suppliers during the distribution process.

About 100,000 seedlings were donated to farmers  to motivate the community to participate in the Ministry’s effort to achieve a level of self sufficiency in food production.

The Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nations (FAOUN) Sub-Regional Co-ordinator for the Caribbean Florita Kentish said  the FAO is a firm believer in activities to alleviate the effects of rising food prices, global economic hardship, and ensure good nutrition to the most vulnerable.

Kentish pointed out, “ jointly the World Health Organisation, the FAO, has been involved in an initiative to improve nutrition through home gardening, since home gardening has a long established tradition of offering great potential to improve household food security and alleviate micronutrient deficiencies in many ways.”

She said this could be done primarily through direct access to a diversity of nutritionally rich foods, increased purchasing power from savings on food bills, income from the sale of garden products, and fall-back food provisions being made available during seasonally lean periods.

This, Kentish said, is especially important in rural areas where income earning opportunities are fewer. But it is increasingly important for vulnerable households (including those headed by women) in urban and peri-urban areas.

Meanwhile, Permanent Secretary Sharon Peters said the ministry is on target to change the future by investing in its people.

“Today is a testament of our mandate to partner with all stakeholders to ensure that affordable, wholesome foods are on the table of all Antiguans and Barbudans,” she said. "While the ministry is leading the charge in ensuring our food security, one has to be cognizant that 'no man is an island, and cannot stand alone,' therefore, our effort will require your support as we chart the way forward in a holistic and programmatic approach, which, connecting the links within the value chain.”

Minister Hilson Baptiste also added his voice to Antigua’s continued effort to attain a satisfactory level of food security.

In 2010, the twin island nation imported approximately 16 –million pounds of vegetables and serious move is being made by the ministry to slash that amount by half.

Minister Baptiste referred to the bumper harvest of eight agriculture commodities being experienced in Antigua & Barbuda. He disclosed that the Ministry has been in dialogue with users of agricultural products, to convince them to purchase local produce.

The minister also stated that the technicians are working continuously with the farmers to ensure full adaptation of Good Agriculture Practices (GAP).  In February, the Extension Division launched a farm sanitation programme in the six agriculture districts.

Hotel chefs and wholesalers have also agreed to use local produce following a tour arranged for them on April 20.

As it relates to the backyard farmers, Minister Baptiste said the plan is to divide Antigua into six zones. This, he explained, “is to make sure every person has a backyard garden and it’s properly done. There is a high demand for our carrots, cherry tomatoes, and onions in Antigua, and importation will not be allowed once the farmers can produce it.”

Extension Officer Owolabi Elabanjo revealed that Antigua & Barbuda now has 1,500 registered backyard gardeners.  “This is a great turning point in our history - the reducing of importation can be done now," he said. "We can produce food because it provides nutrition for the body, and gives the opportunity for us to socialize with others. The more backyard gardeners we have is the more we can be sure of food safety.”

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Antigua’s sister island, Barbuda, was not left out of the equation. Chairman of the local Government Council Kelvin Punter said there are 35 registered farmers there. On Thursday, he collected 11 trays of mixed seedlings for distribution among them. “For the past five to six years, we have been receiving different types of assistance, in the form of seedlings, seeds, rotor-tiller, and this is an indication that that the Ministry of Agriculture is serious about food security on the sister island,” he said.

The National Backyard Garden Day was attended by the Deputy Governor General Sir Eustace Francis. Also in attendance were Ag Director of Agriculture Jedidiah Maxime, Principal Assistant Secretary Genevieve Williams, CMC General Manager Dalma Hill, technicians, and staff in the Ministry of Agriculture, and its affiliated stations and statutory bodies.

The GARD Centre, Central Marketing Corporation (CMC), and other agriculture inputs suppliers sold farm products.

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