Greater push needed for food sustainability

Using the prime minister's example, the agriculture ministry must now step forward with innovative initiatives to encourage persons to grow their own food. With the increase in food prices and everything else, people need to be able to provide healthy meals for their families.

Food security for the landless

16 Apr 2022

A SHORT video of lush vegetables popped up on social media earlier this week. It was accompanied by a caption which read, “I reaped these vegetables from my backyard garden early this morning.”

Viewed by 29,000, this video by Prime Minister Andrew Holness created a picture of what is possible, reminding the nation of the value of making something edible grow from the land. Hopefully, Mr Holness has provided inspiration to householders and hobby farmers across the island.

Among the more than 400 responses, many congratulated the prime minister for setting a good example. References were made to the ‘Eat what you grow ’campaign, which has had many iterations over the years, for it has long been recognised that self-sufficiency is important to the development of a nation. Some of the folks expressed a burning desire to plant, if only they had land on which to cultivate a few crops.

With the burgeoning apartment living that has taken over the capital city of Kingston, homeowners now have very little green space, if at all. Some persons who feel the urge to plant a crop are therefore not able to do so. There is, of course, container gardening and people have successfully grown crops in huge pots, but that requires special skill sets.

The time has come for the agriculture ministry to rethink its land-lease policy to facilitate those who have no land but are desirous of planting on a small scale. The churches are also significant owners of land, much of which remains idle, and they, too, should be thinking of how to utilise these large tracts of land.

GREAT EXAMPLE

The United Kingdom (UK) provides a great example of how an allotment system works. Since the end of World War II, allotments have been an important part of British life and culture. What began as a wartime experiment, whereby persons are allotted plots on which they are expected to grow fruits and vegetables, has grown into an important part of the economic and social life of the UK.

The idea behind these allotments is that everyone who desires gets a chance to work the land and, more importantly, citizens are handed an opportunity to take ownership of even a small part of the food supply chain. There are an estimated 300,000 plot holders across the UK, and there are reported to be about 100,000 on waiting lists.

This is something that the Ministry of Agriculture ought to promote. We see the allotments or community gardens being leased at a peppercorn rate, and fees would vary by size and amenities, such as water. Plot holders could be put on probation. If, for example, a plot is not used in two years, it ought to be taken back and offered to someone else. Special rates would apply to seniors who want to participate in such activities, principally to improve their mental health and well-being.

The world is nowhere near its sustainable development goal of eliminating hunger by 2030. The COVID-19 pandemic not only disrupted global food supplies, it has led to a fall in economic growth. Compounding these negative world events is the debilitating effect of the current war in Ukraine, with commodity shortages looming.

PUSH TO FEED OURSELVES

With unemployment and poverty being the main drivers of food deprivation, the push to feed ourselves has never been more important than it is today. The soaring prices of tinned products and other non-perishables are driving persons to find healthy alternatives to feed their families.

With the prime minister demonstrating what can be achieved in one’s backyard, the agriculture ministry must now follow with bold and creative initiatives to empower the urban landless.

We acknowledge that the prime minister’s backyard is not an ordinary backyard, for he is insulated against the praedial thieves who thrive on reaping where they have not planted. And that, of course, brings us full circle to the crime problem which has had a stranglehold on this little nation for too long.

Given our crime statistics, it is understandable that security will be uppermost in the minds of anyone who finds the idea of an allotment system attractive. It is a fact that theft and vandalism have created problems for allotment holders in the UK. For such a system to be successful in Jamaica, the ministries of agriculture and national security would be compelled to formulate a plan to keep the plots and their owners safe. A tough task, given the inability to get a handle on crime and violence.

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