MANDEVILLE, Manchester — A number of PMO (Production and Marketing Organisation) groups, individual farmers and other farming stakeholders were on September 30 honoured here.

The event, dubbed the second Annual Manchester Denbigh Agricultural Show Awards, was to recognise individuals and organisations from the parish that were instrumental in this year’s displays at the longstanding Denbigh Agricultural, Industrial and Food Show in neighbouring Clarendon.

Organisers say that Manchester was placed third overall, retained the Rudolph Burke trophy for best pavilion, was awarded sectional prizes for marketing potential, educational input, adaptable technology and youth involvement.

Diandra Rowe, a second- generation greenhouse farmer who emerged a top contender for the parish, walked away with awards including national champion greenhouse farmer and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation in Agriculture (IICA) award for young innovative farmer.

Parish manager for the Manchester Branch of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, Norman Blake, noted the progress over the years.

“The parish of Manchester has been doing very well at Denbigh Agricultural Show for the past two years — in 2014 the parish was eighth in the overall parish standing, [we] came sixth in 2015, 2016 we were third, and 2017 we were third. These were just adrift of the winners by incremental margins,” he said.

Blake said Manchester received nine trophies this year up from five last year.

“It was really a bonded body that [went] to Denbigh. We (went) as a team and whatever we achieved it (was) as a team. In 2018 we expect to do much better,” he said.

Parish manager of the 4-H movement Dwain Moodie said that his organisation is a creature of the Jamaica Agricultural Society, helping to introduce young people to agriculture, and they are willing to continue to work in collaboration for the betterment of Jamaica.

Councillor Leroy Mitchell (Jamaica Labour Party —Walderston Division) used the occasion to hail the Municipal corporation in manchester as the only one with an agriculture committee, indicating the commitment to the industry.

The event was planned by the Manchester Association of Branch Societies (MABS), which is the affiliate board that governs the Manchester Branch of the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS).

— Alicia Sutherland