Pt Fortin mayor launches 'Grow your own food' drive

IN an effort to encourage and improve food security in the area, Point Fortin mayor Saleema McCree Thomas launched a "Grow your own food" drive on Wednesday .

The launch was held at the Point Fortin Borough Corporation Town Hall in Mahaica.

When Thomas was appointed mayor in August, she told Newsday agriculture and entrepreneurship were key factors of her “vision for the borough,” as she wants more people to become more self-resilient.

She said then, “Like the Prime Minister once said, ‘Eat what you grow.’ We want to see more kitchen gardens, more home gardens. This is a project that the council would have wanted to previously embark on.”

At the launch, she said food security is “on the decline, worldwide.

“Another concern is that of low levels of vegetable and fruit consumption, which impact both on mortality rates as well as lifestyle diseases. Thus, we must play a part to ensure that we and our future generations eat right.”

She said the covid19 restrictions have led to people preparing more meals at home.

“Many of us have even planted home gardens for the very first time. The interest in home gardening has grown – no pun intended – and this can only auger well if we maintain this growth pattern in growing our own food.”

A thousand seed packets were distributed to councillors for the six electoral districts of Point Fortin – Techier/Guapo, Egypt, Newlands/Mahaica, Cap-de-Ville/Fanny Village, Hollywood, and New Village. The packets consist of ochro, eggplant, pumpkin, corn and pigeon peas seeds. They will also include a bag of soil.

Thomas thanked the Ministry of Agriculture, Land and Fisheries for supplying them.