20 years of ‘Eat Jamaican’ campaign

THE EXPANSIVE grounds of the College of Agriculture, Science and Education (CASE) was abuzz with activity and merriment on November 24, as hundreds turned out to celebrate the 20th anniversary and national commemoration of ‘Eat Jamaican Day’.

Scores of patrons, including students, farmers and residents, descended upon the institution’s picturesque Passley Gardens campus in Portland, where they toured booths displaying good-quality local produce; viewed demonstrations of container gardening, food and juice preparations, and methods to reduce food waste; cheered on participants in cook-off competitions; tasted food samples; and enjoyed cultural performances.

There were also games, giveaways and prizes as patrons tested their knowledge of the agricultural sector and aspects of the island’s world-renowned gastronomy.

Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining Floyd Green, who delivered the keynote address during the official opening ceremony, commended the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) for spearheading the campaign two decades strong.

“Twenty years ago, they (the JAS) had a vision to craft a strategy to encourage all of us to support our farmers and our fishers. That is what ‘Eat Jamaican’ is about – ensuring that when we go out to purchase, we’re making decisions in the interest of ourselves and in the interest of our country,” the minister said.

“The reality is, if you’re not eating Jamaican, if you’re not buying Jamaican food, then you’re ultimately supporting other people from elsewhere. Everything you eat, you have a farmer or a fisher to thank for it, whether they are here in Jamaica or elsewhere in the world. If you’re going to support a farmer and a fisher, it makes sense to support your own,” he contended.

While November is celebrated as ‘Eat Jamaican Month’ and November 25 is observed annually as Eat Jamaican Day, the minister made the point that Eat Jamaican is “not just a one-day or a one-month activity”.

“Every time we go out to shop, we should be thinking about eating Jamaican,” he stressed.

For his part, state minister in the ministry, Franklin Witter, hailed the Eat Jamaican campaign as a “very important” one, noting that the experience of COVID-19 has taught many lessons about food security.

“[Despite] the kind of panic and anxiety that was created right across the world, Jamaica came out very well as a result of this kind of programme and the support that we give to our farmers and the response of our farmer,” Witter said.

The Eat Jamaican campaign encourages citizens to ‘grow what we eat and eat what we grow’ as part of a strategy to reposition the agricultural sector for rural development and sustainable food security.

It is the hope that with the support of consumers, policymakers and the farmers, this campaign will result in greater consumption of Jamaican agricultural produce that will continue to increase local food production, as well as enhancing Jamaican-branded products to ensure consistency in the supply.

Eat Jamaica Day 2023 also doubled as a stakeholder engagement session for the parish of Portland as the ministry continues to spread awareness on its ‘New FACE of Food’ campaign.