Interviews and photos by Kenesha Fraser
Agriculture Month, which was observed last month, placed much emphasis on family farming. In addition to the ‘Grow More Food’ campaign that is ongoing. People are being encouraged to ‘Eat What You Grow’. We asked people along the Essequibo Coast for their views on this. Their comments follow:
Mark Austin, University of Guyana (UG) student – ‘I think that the Ministry of Agriculture’s ‘Eat What You Grow’ campaign is very good and important. Planting and tending to crops will help to produce nutritious and healthy food, especially if it’s organic. This will also help us to eat wiser and live a better lifestyle. Imported and canned foods have too much additives and lessens the nutrition that we all need from food thus making it unhealthy. Added to that if food is grown on a large scale, then the country benefits tremendously. The economy will increase from the food grown which can be exported so the country and all citizens can gain from this campaign. With that being said, I applaud the Ministry of Agriculture for this wonderful campaign as we seek to go organic and healthy and as we continue to be the food basket of the region.’
Ken Fraser, sluice attendant – ‘I am of the view that the campaign is a positive one and it has great benefits for each citizen. Every Guyanese should be encouraged to be actively involved in growing their own food. I believe that one of the aims of the campaign is to promote better eating habits and practices which is an important aspect of our lives. According to research that I did, canned food products which contain a great percent of preservatives can lead to cancer and other complications. We have to be diligent in what we consume so that we can foster better homes, communities and a better nation.’
Coretta Williams, phlebotomist – ‘Well the Ministry of Agriculture’s effort to advise us Guyanese to make use of what we grow here in the form of the “Eat What You Grow” campaign is an excellent initiative. We all have heard a lot about the kind of danger that these canned foods poses to our health and to eat fresh and healthy home grown foods would result in a healthy nation. There are a lot of sicknesses that are posing a threat to humans so we have to be sure that our immune system can combat these sicknesses by eating healthy and nutritious foods.’
Andrae Dos Santos, manager Cevon’s Waste Management – ‘When you plant your own food, you know exactly what you’re eating. Cutting down on importation of food will help to build the economy. For example, the money the country will spend on importing food can be used to do something else to develop the country. I think the idea is a great one because we can gain more from what we grow rather than canned foods that have all those preservatives and so much more that is added to them. It would be more nutritious and healthy.’
Onecia Schadde, sales clerk – ‘Firstly, it’s a wise suggestion and also very economical and healthy for persons in Guyana to eat what they grow. As grateful as we are for such fertile land throughout the country, we should start making use of it and start farming. This doesn’t have to be on a large scale or for marketing but for our own personal use. Consuming fresh vegetables and fruits on a daily basis ensures that we as individuals stay healthy. Products that are imported may have less or nothing nutritious at all and eating processed foods regularly triggers many sicknesses and many other complications. As a Guyanese my closure to all this is that we should come together as proud citizens of our country and eat what we plant and live a longer and healthier life and stay strong to work together to build a brighter and stronger nation.’
Shanata Bailey, teacher – ‘Well the initiative is not a new one basically it is a continuation of the “Produce or Perish” campaign that was around for some time which was followed by the “Grow More Food” campaign. Overall the venture is a very good one mainly because it seeks to get more persons involved in agriculture and to improve the food quality being produced. Also this programme will bring about healthy eating habits of the people of Guyana.’
Devon George, university student – ‘Yes it would be a good campaign since it would help the country to cut back on its food expenditure. It would be a lot healthier for families to eat what they grow since there would be less inorganic intake and more organic. Eating what we grow will also reduce the chance of a lot of chemicals in our bodies. If families plant their own crops there would be no need for fertilizers. Jobs will also be created for unskilled workers. This campaign can help persons to be more independent and can also reduce poverty.’
Shenelle Dejonge, teacher – ‘This call made by the Ministry of Agriculture is one of importance to the economic growth of our country. Eating what we produce fosters better relationships in the country whereby community members plant then sell those produce to neighbours. As a result of this practice the money that the neighbour would have taken to purchase canned food will be diverted to healthy food. The call also makes the financial load of the family lighter. As a result of eating what you grow then the money that you once spent to purchase imported foods can be redirected to another avenue. It was our first executive president who advocated that we “Produce or Perish” and the call of the Ministry of Agriculture to eat what we grow is for the holistic development of citizens of Guyana since we will benefit health wise and economically.’
Madainey Humphrey, animal science student at UG – ‘The campaign introduced in 2008 has seen much improvement especially in our agricultural sector in the move towards more self-sufficiency. Added to this it would play an important role in reinforcing the already launched Low Carbon Development Strategy which is geared towards the fight against climate change and at the same time propel our economy in the areas of building economic infrastructures, providing more employment and improving our social services such as health care, low carbon electricity and clean water.’
Tiffney Pearson, forestry student – ‘In Guyana, agriculture is a very important sector. It provides us with our needs which basically includes clothing, food and shelter. As it relates to the “Eat What You Grow” campaign, it is a great initiative and encourages persons to plant their own food rather than using canned food products which contain dangerous chemicals. The campaign is very economical and should be endorsed by each citizen.