Residents of Windsor located in the rich and beautiful Rio Grande Valley in Portland have the unique experience of being surrounded by the Blue and John Crow Mountains.

The traditional economic activity of growing bananas has been experiencing a downturn in recent times. This has led Windsor residents to diversify their farming opportunities and they have even added eco-tourism to their economic mix in order to make a living.

Barbara White who farms banana, ginger, dasheen and plantain told the team from Observer North and East that while it is difficult, the residents of Windsor are trying.

“It is challenging but if you have the funds you will find it much easier but for me who don’t have it, I find it very challenging, but I still have to try.

“We had a Jamaica Agricultural Society Group (JAS) group here but it is not functional now but from time to time you talk with the RADA extension officer for assistance because they have the technical advice.

“We had a bad crop last year as the weather was bad but this year the weather was good especially for the dasheen.

“I sell in the market but when I have a surplus, I sell to exporters or I carry it to Coronation Market myself,” White informed while admitting that praedial larceny is rampant, causing great hardship on the life of farmers.

Andrew Ramsay who was seen walking with his machete coming from the field says while he plants banana and dasheen, he deals mainly with animals.

“I deal with animals, cows and goats, and so far I have been trying my best. I don’t have any major problems with my animals,” Ramsay said.

Kenrick Lindsay is a banana farmer.

“Is mainly banana I deal with, I used to do the export thing but it get a beating and now you don’t have the export market, meaning you have to find other means of selling your crop.

“I sell to the chips factory and higglers, those who go to Coronation Market. It kind of good if you can keep up to it because banana take a lot of input and is expensive to care.

“The closing of the Boundbrook Wharf has given the banana industry a big beating as things were nice in those days. I used to do my own spraying, not a lot of stress cause when you sell bananas, you could pay your workers with that first payment and you would still have something to put in the bank,” Lindsay said.

The North and East team met with Donaldson Bernard, retired principal of Port Antonio Secondary, at his home in Windsor which is known by all in the community as the Rio Grande Health Farm.

Bernard strongly believes that the area has great economic potential if properly managed.

“Things have been slow in the area in terms of economic movement with the downturn in the banana industry on which so many farmers relied.

“Banana still continues but what we are trying to do is to find other ways of using what we have allied with the potential of the valley.

“There are other crops that are being planted.

“I have pineapples as my economic crop, not bananas and I plant some ginger and turmeric as well. Farmers have been exploring other crops.

“My particular interest is community tourism as I believe this is something in which all sectors of the community can participate and benefit from.

“Some people have spare rooms which can be used to host visitors. “Wild hog hunters have traditionally hunted in the area and I see this as something which can be used as an attraction, certainly they know the trails up in the mountains and over the years we have been sending people in there with the wild hog hunters to Nanny Town which is a harder trek than going to Blue Mountain Peak,” the former educator said.

Bernard who is strongly promoting eco-tourism as an economic alternative says the community must make use of its rich heritage.

“Recently the community has been trying to develop a hike to ‘Look Out Point’, a famous outpost for the Maroons which has a wonderful view of most of the Rio Grande Valley and we see the potential.

“The Maroon history and heritage and this region are unique and outstanding and we have to take care of it and use it in the interest of the people,” he said with great passion.

“The designation of the area as a World Heritage site is very important and we need to capitalise on this so that the community can benefit and develop.

“Portland has a variety of crops and this area has a number of fruits — apples, guavas, breadfruit, mangoes and we can be involved in agro-processing so that a lot of these fruits don’t go to waste,” he stated with conviction.

Bernard also practices organic farming and has a machine that chips wood that is used on the farm as compost and mulch.