The essence of this 'Feed Jamaican' Campaign was borne out of a vision for us as a nation to 'grow what we feed on and feed on what we grow' recognizing that this is the way to reposition the Jamaica Agricultural Sector through a process of integrated rural development as well as to develop a program of sustainable food security. It is the hope that this will continue to increase the quantity and quality of foods as well as to enhance the Jamaican Brand Products and to ensure a consistency in the supply as well as demand for those produce and products increase.
It has therefore been the task of the RADA therefore to urge consumers to recognize, support and to have a greater appreciation for the range and quality of Jamaica's Agricultural produce and products.
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| Cauliflower Farmer in St. Elizabeth |
The objectives of the campaign therefore include:
- To re-establish the fact that Jamaica is an agricultural country; that our richest heritage accrues from rural farming communities; that all our best attitudes and values are to be found in the traditional Jamaican 'country life'; and that central to our Jamaican culture is the food that we produce and the ways in which we prepare them.
- To remind those who have forgotten and inform those who are too young to know, of the dimensions of Jamaica's farming sector, the colourful threads of this broad fabric from the small subsistent farmer to the large farming operations; the economic importance in terms of jobs and income generation; the success stories, as well as the struggle for survival.
- To celebrate the glories of Jamaican cuisine culture, many examples of which are the heart and soul of Food Festivals.
- To lift the morale of our farmers and their communities, re-awaken their appetite for production, while, at the same time, attracting new and young farmers to the sector.
- In this process the RADA itself should be repositioned as the viable and relevant farmers' organization adding value to its membership by helping to create an atmosphere where wealth can be generated for all through the influencing of policies that will benefit the sector.
RADA Extension Officer explains the importance of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) of Cabbage
