Children’s farming group stages first grow camp

Budding Farmers Jamaica, which promotes farming among children, has successfully staged its first in-person summer grow camp.

For three weeks in July, participants ages three to 12 were engaged in exciting activities aimed at developing their understanding of the environment and food security. The camp was held on Molynes Road in Kingston.

Founding director Grace Henry said that Agriculture Minister Pearnel Charles Jr visited the camp and set the tone for the start of activities.

“The minister engaged with them and gave them a charge to become advocates for positive change and for promoting food security wherever they go – in school, church, home, or communities. He explained to them that now more than ever, we need to ‘grow smart and eat smart’, which is the ministry’s national campaign,” she told JIS News.

She shared that each week of the camp took on a different focus, beginning with week one, when the young campers were shown how to start, care, and maintain a garden. This was supported by organic honey producer, ODB Honey, with proprietor Tino Wright introducing the children to various aspects of beekeeping.

“They looked at the products and by-products of honey and even had a little taste testing, which was for them the best part,” Henry pointed out.

Week two focused on the environment, climate change, and alternative farming techniques such as hydroponics. Participants helped to set up a mini aquaponics system and learnt about plant nutrition. Inmed Caribbean’s Sherica Campbell led these sessions.

For week three, it was all about ‘farm to table’ techniques and the importance of eating healthy. A field trip to the Ebony Park HEART Academy gave the children a first-hand experience of activities on a commercial farm, where they interacted with different animals and saw vegetable production taking place on the vast property.

Parent Suzette Adams Rickards, whose daughter Alexandra was a participant, said that the camp exceeded her expectations – and then some.

“Grow Camp certainly piqued my interest as my daughter is a nature-loving child and she would be taught atypical skills. My expectations were exceeded as the kids spent most of the time outdoors planting seeds, learning how to care for their seedlings, and literally seeing the fruit of their labour, which made it all the more exciting and meaningful. This is a great initiative, and my daughter now has a skill that can contribute to her livelihood,” she told JIS News.

After a fun-filled three weeks, a closing ceremony was held on July 23, which was again attended by Charles Jr. There, the crafts, gardens, and talents of the budding farmers were showcased. The children were also presented with certificates of participation and gifts from sponsors.

Earlier this year, Charles Jr announced in Parliament that Budding Farmers would be taken into schools for a one-year pilot to introduce children at the early childhood and primary levels to the fundamentals, business, and technology of farming.

Henry, who co-founded the organisation with her children Mathew-Aiden and Mikayla-Ann, said the camp serves as a “sneak peek into what parents, teachers, and students can experience when we go into the schools later this year”.