JAS Distributes Vegetable Seedlings to Schools in St. James

The St. James branch of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) has distributed approximately 1,000 vegetable seedlings to six schools in the parish, to assist their preparations for the JAS’ School Garden Competition.
President of the St. James Association of Branch Societies, Glendon Harris, yesterday (Feb. 2) made the presentations to Bogue, Sudbury, Lottery, Sunderland, Bickersteth and Anchovy All-age schools. The handing over ceremony was held at Bogue Hill.
The provision of the seedlings, which comprise tomatoes, sweet pepper, scotch bonnet pepper, lettuce and cabbage, is also expected to boost the schools’ displays for the 4-H Achievement Day and the Montpelier Agricultural and Industrial Show in April.
According to Mr. Harris, who is also vice president of the JAS, the project was designed to stimulate the development of school gardens in all institutions across the parish. “We at the JAS are now distributing the seedlings so that more schools will be able to come on board, eventually having more young persons gaining some interest in agriculture,” he told JIS News.
He explained that, “we are seeking to propagate and supply seedlings to house holders, farmers and to the schools from seeds trays where the suckers are in the habitat . not having much of a shock when they are being transferred to the planting areas.”
Mr. Harris said that supplying the seedlings in seed trays, would enable reaping two to three weeks earlier than if they were transferred from seedbeds. The plants, he pointed out, would be healthier, resulting in better yields at harvesting.
“In distributing these seedlings .we are seeking to be the facilitators so that more of our students and adults can become active participants in agriculture”, the JAS vice president said, while expressing confidence that the School Garden Project would “undoubtedly have a great impact on the youth in all schools across the parish”.
“This has truly been our pleasure to be in a position to stimulate the interest of the youth in agriculture and to ensure that we play our part in the ‘Eat Jamaican Campaign’ while at the same time garnering more youth participation in the upcoming Montpelier Agricultural and Industrial Show in April”, Mr. Harris told JIS News.