Banana Consumption Campaign to be Launched at Denbigh

Minister of Agriculture, Dr. Christopher Tufton, will officially launch the country’s ‘Banana Consumption Campaign’ on Saturday, August 2.
The launch, which will take place at the Denbigh Agricultural and Industrial Show in Clarendon, is geared at promoting the increased use of banana in the Jamaican diet.
This campaign will be conducted over seven months and will serve to educate stakeholders and the general public about the benefits to be derived from their consumption. Persons will be sensitised through a series of promotional activities in schools, hotels, supermarkets and other channels.
Banana has been an important staple in the Jamaican diet for hundreds of years, and is highly favoured as a substitute for more expensive imported staples. It has a refined and healthy fibre content and is as satisfying to the palate as rice, cornmeal, flour and other staples, which have traditionally been consumed by Jamaicans.
The increased promotion of bananas, plantains and other local staples, signals the Government’s commitment to ensuring the country’s food security, given the global food crisis.
In an attempt to combat the problem, the Government is seeking to implement several initiatives to completely transform the agricultural sector. Chief among these, are the registration of farmers to better monitor the growing of crops, increasing the number of Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) extension officers; and implementing a National Disaster Risk Management Programme for the sector.
The Annual Denbigh Agricultural and Industrial Show is being staged from August 1 to August 3.