AgriMan teaching youth to grow food

Planting some seeds. -
Planting some seeds. -

THE United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in collaboration with the Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) and AgriMan – the world’s first food security and nutrition superhero, has been distributing seed kits and digital advice on how to plant and grow fruit and vegetables at home – no matter how small the space available.

The distribution is part of a nationwide Grow Garden initiative, with a special focus on communities that have been disproportionately affected by the food security challenges raised by covid19, said a media release.

UNDP distributes seed kits to Police Youth Club representative. -

Organised with support from the World Food Programme and the Global Environment Fund’s Small Grants Programme (GEF SGP) – the Grow Garden initiative is working with youth, women and families in urban and rural communities, to develop agricultural skills that could help create employment opportunities, food security and improved family nutrition.

Leading the charge to bring a love of agriculture to communities everywhere is the masked superhero AgriMan, whose mission is to save the world from the villains of food waste and loss by building an army of young farmers and agriculture-savvy youth. The character, created by WhyFarm, encourages people to farm and help solve challenges in agriculture and food security.

Randi Davis, resident representative for the UNDP in TT, Aruba, Curaçao and Sint Maarten said in the release: “With covid19 exacerbating issues of food security worldwide, we’ve been working with our partners to find short-term, nature-based solutions that support our wider, long-term work in building community resilience, women’s empowerment and citizen’s security. Home gardening is about nutrition, yes, but also about so much more. The psychosocial benefits can be immeasurable, as can the way in which it changes our relationship with the natural environment.”

Agriculture superhero AgriMan is teaching youth, women and families to grow food. -

A Grow Garden participant, 12-year-old Jordan, who junior member of the TT Police Youth Club, said: “I’m into the project because it’s fun and it keeps a youth like me out of trouble. I’m looking forward to contributing to food for my family and neighbours. Not being able to physically attend school and interact with people, at least I have an opportunity to focus on something positive. This is my new normal.”

Commenting on the early impact of the initiative, ASP Ramkhelawan, head of community relations and Police Youth Clubs, TT Police Service said: “I see the Grow Garden project as a vehicle for bringing families closer, in this period of the covid19 pandemic. It not only presents a platform for them to participate in gardening activities together, but importantly it also provides parents and children with the opportunity to improve communication skills, building trust, respect and discipline in expressing their love for each other. It’s not just food that will be growing, but the young people and their families also."

Siblings planting seeds as part of the Grow Garden Initiative. -

For more info: on the Grow Garden initiative, please visit: tt.undp.org

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