Jamaicans called on to embrace agriculture

The fallout from geopolitical factory, such as the ongoing Ukraine/Russia war and disruptions in the global supply chains have underscored the need for Jamaica to do much more to enhance its food security and nutrition, and so the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries will be going all out this year to ensure that more Jamaicans are involved in agriculture, according to Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Pearnel Charles Jr.

Delivering the keynote address during Saturday’s Agricultural Legacy Awards at the Medallion Hall Hotel, in St Andrew, under the theme, ‘Celebrating Excellence in Agriculture’, Charles Jr declared that one of the most significant lessons learnt by the ministry over the past two years of the COVID-19 pandemic, the war and continued climate change uncertainties is that they have been compelled to step back and rethink their operational strategies.

“We can’t just grow anymore. We can’t just produce any more. In the last two months alone we have seen disruptions that have caused chaos and so it is a flashing alert to the country, to you the leaders in agriculture that we need to refine how we are operating. That’s why we say grow smart and it must be linked to an action that’s why we say eat smart, cause ultimately we want a society that’s is healthy, that is productive and we want our people to understand that clean soil, clean seeds are the beginning of better production, “ he declared.

RECOGNISED

Some 20 men and women who have given at least 35 years of service to the agriculture sector were recognised for their contributions to the sector, as well as to nation-building, and Minister Charles made it clear that he would need their continued support to meet the challenges that the nation will face.

“We can’t count the number of persons you have assisted up, contributed to and persons who benefited from your intellect, your intelligence, your knowledge. We have had six consecutive quarters of growth and this happened because of the efforts that you have made and my commitment is to see how best we can continue to make progress,” he assured.

Charles said that the intention this year is to get every Jamaican involved in agriculture, at some level and gave a general outline of what this would mean.

“This year we will be continuing school gardens, we’ll be launching programmes, working with churches, working with the correctional institutions, working with the companies so that everybody can play a role and we will be leaning on you, our awardees and friends to make sure that you lead us along that path.”

He explained that the ministry’s renewed Grow Smart Eat Smart campaign is about more that asking people to grow more, or using vertical farming, hydroponics and other such technological initiatives.

“It’s about your mindset and understanding what it means to be efficient and why I want to call on you as the 35 years or more leaders in the society. Those who when you talk, you are the authority. When you speak on issues we have to listen and I am calling on you to be a part of the strategy. Don’t sit back if you see something going left, tell me. It is my hope that we will all continue to play our roles,” he appealed.

The Agricultural Legacy Awards was timed to coincide with Jamaica’s 60 anniversary of political Independence and hosted by The Agriculturalist newspaper, in partnership with the Jamaica Agricultural Society and the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries.