Rambharat: Food box initiative to continue after pandemic

WHAT began as an initiative to provide healthy food to vulnerable families during the covid19 pandemic, could become a permanent part of relief offered to people in need.

Agriculture, Land and Fisheries Minister Clarence Rambharat made this disclosure on Sunday as he spoke about the success of the National Agricultural Marketing and Development Corporation's (Namdevco) market food box initiative.

Speaking with Newsday at a drive through seedling and food crop distribution in Debe, Rambharat said when the initiative began five months ago, the objective was to provide food packages to 125,000 families. "We crossed 100,000 in the third month."

Rambharat said Members of Parliament and local government councillors have been involved in the exercise of these food packages to people in need.

"I anticipate to get to 175,000 (families) by the end of the programme." Asked whether the initiative would be expanded, Rambharat said, "Part of that will be a permanent feature which is under the Ministry of Social Development and Family Services. The clients of that ministry will have the option of getting a locally grown food package as part of the benefits that they are going to receive."

He added, "That should kick in at the end of October." When the initiative was launched in May, the Prime Minister said it will help 25,000 families with food items such as sweet potato, dasheen, cassava, plantain, squash, pineapple, citrus, paw paw, cucumbers, bodi, sweet pepper, hot pepper, tomatoes and chicken, with slight variations in the packages.

At that time, Namdevco CEO Nirmala Debysingh-Persad said 3,000 farmers have been engaged for the produce for the food baskets.

“The produce is being sourced from our certified farmers, and in some cases farmers who are not certified are being used, but it must involve inspection and monitoring of the farmers and their products.”

Last year, government provided the same assistance to 30,000 families with a $250 supermarket voucher, a bag of ground provisions, callaloo, pumpkin, a bag of local fruits and vegetables including pineapples, melons, melongene, a box of tomatoes, sweet peppers, cucumbers and seasonings, and two chickens.

It also provided social support grants, to households with children under the school feeding programme who were unable to access food cards. .