–to see it as an alternative means of earning a living

IN light of the new living and working conditions due to the COVID-19 outbreak here, the Regional Health and Emergency Committee (RHEC) of Region 10 (Upper Demerara-Berbice) is encouraging persons to attach greater importance to finding alternative means of providing for their families through kitchen gardening.

As Regional Agricultural Officer, Deryck Collins pointed out at a recent RHEC meeting, there is no requirement that says that only large spaces can be used for farming, as pots, pans, buckets and even bowls can come in very handy, if one is really serious about gardening; whatever space is available, he said, once organised, can be used to plant.

“We must understand that planting, especially in these times, are of critical importance, as it helps us to return to those days when almost every household had a kitchen garden. We must desist from this concept that farming is not a good thing, as planting should be a passion for every Guyanese,” Collins said. “It is important to know that a lot of what they are eating would have come from their own yard space; it helps in creating food security, and, most importantly, ensuring that what you are consuming is of quality,” he added.

He said that he’s noticed since COVID-19, more and more persons are beginning to see the wisdom of investing in a little kitchen garden of their own, which is something that he and other regional officials had been trying for years to get them to do; to convince persons that farming is the way to go.

“This pandemic has brought a positive spin- off,” he said, “in the sense that more persons are eager and determined to start their kitchen gardens, as they recognise that accessing fruits and vegetables can be challenging at times. Therefore, we are happy thus far with the increased interest being shown, and stand ready to lend whatever support that we can to ensure that more persons would start their kitchen gardens.”

FOOD SECURITY
Regional Executive Officer (REO) Orrin Gordon noted that with more persons getting into farming, whether on a small or large-scale basis, that would mean food security in the long-run for Region Ten, and that as such, the Region is prepared to help them with some seedlings, as there is land enough for everyone to get into farming, if they’re serious about doing so.

“There is still a large amount of produce coming into the region,” Gordon said, “and while at the moment we do not grow enough to adequately sustain our residents, I am still of the view that if more persons get into farming through their kitchen garden, and farming whatever land that they have, that we would no longer require people coming in to sell us food; we can do it on our own, but we must be determined and disciplined.”

Adding his voice to the conversation, Regional Chairman Renis Morian made the point that the notion that farming is for some persons is one that must be expelled from people’s mind, declaring that he continues to grow his own fruits and vegetables, and to dedicate a few hours each day to his kitchen garden.

He said that if persons were to recognise the importance and benefits of having a kitchen garden, there would be less dependence on external sources for food. “I still crave, every day, going home, where I would spend some time in my kitchen garden, because the joy comes when I can pick what I would have planted to have it placed in my kitchen,” he said, adding: “We must understand that this situation that we are faced with provides an opportunity for us all to exploit it by planting, and I hope that the appeal of the Agricultural Officer and the REO would be heeded by persons as we move forward.”