JAS Partners with All-Age School to Promote Agriculture

The Portland branch of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS), is partnering with Windsor Forest All-age School in the parish, to promote agriculture in schools and generate interest in farming among students.
In an interview with JIS News, Thelma Williams, JAS Parish Manager for Portland, said the programme began in September of last year and is being conducted as a pilot project, which if successful, would be extended to other schools in the parish.
The crops being cultivated at Windsor Forest All-age are cucumber, tomato, sweet pepper, pak choi, callaloo, lettuce, pumpkin and red peas.
The project is operated by students and staff of the school, and the products are sold to the surrounding communities, with the surplus used in its feeding programme.
Miss Williams said the seeds were donated by Food For the Poor to the JAS, which in turn gave them to the school, in addition to a number of tools, for the implementation of the programme.
She expressed pleasure at the progress of the farm, and noted that it would reinforce the message of the JAS to Jamaicans to eat more of the food that is grown locally.
Principal of the school, Verona Valentine, said the school was eternally thankful to the JAS for the help it has provided to implement the project.
She noted that it was generating a great deal of interest among the students, and pointed out that their involvement in its operation was assisting their learning in a number of subject areas, as they conduct the various aspects of the business, including the recording of transactions, the writing of the statements and the observation of the principles of proper accounting.
The principal said their involvement in its operation was a very effective way to ensure that young people are sensitized about the importance of venturing into agricultural production, and the financial rewards that could be achieved from such involvement.