Consumers Encouraged to Support ‘Eat Jamaican’ Campaign

Consumers are being encouraged by Minister of Agriculture, Fisheries and Mining, Hon. Floyd Green, to support the ‘Eat Jamaican’ campaign in order to sustain the local agricultural industry.

“We must ensure that in and out of season, we are eating Jamaican,” he said during the launch of Eat Jamaican Month, being observed in November, at Fruit Blossoms farm in Jericho, St. Catherine, on Thursday (October 31).

“When we eat Jamaican, we are encouraging our farmers and fishers. You are keeping money right here at home, and you are providing a market so that when [the farmers] plant their produce, somebody is here to buy it. It is always best to support our own,” Mr. Green added.

He argued that each consumer should pledge to include something Jamaican in every meal for the entire month of November.

The Minister added that as they choose Jamaican, they are celebrating local flavours, embracing local farmers and fishers, building the economy and consuming healthy meals and fresh produce.

“Our goal is to ensure that, no matter what happens in the world, we can feed ourselves,” Mr. Green said.

He indicated that during the month, 10,000 backyard farm kits will be distributed across the island on a “first come, first served” basis.

Mr. Green maintained that more planting needs to be done to replenish what was destroyed by Hurricane Beryl in early July, adding that the Ministry will be embarking on a massive fruit tree planting programme.

For the first time, Eat Jamaican Month will be extended across the Diaspora, and social media influencers are on board to promote the campaign, the Minister said.

On Sunday, November 3, the Eat Jamaican church service will be held at Old Harbour Bay Baptist Church in St. Catherine, and persons are encouraged to wear Jamaican colours.

A book exploring food security in the Caribbean will be launched at the University of the West Indies on November 5.

There will also be a food festival at Devon House on November 22, while a farmers’ market is slated for the Ministry’s playfield in St. Andrew on November 29.

The Eat Jamaican Campaign, launched by the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) in partnership with the Ministry of Agriculture in 2003, aims to get Jamaicans to consume local agricultural produce, support farmers and reduce food imports.