The broiler programme at the Strathmore Gardens Children’s Home in St Catherine has been revived by the Hi-Pro #GROWSTRONG programme launched by the Jamaica Broilers Group to benefit small farmers and farming initiatives affected by COVID-19.

Hi-Pro donated 200 baby chicks, 20 bags of feed, four tarpaulins and a heat lamp to restart the home’s chicken coop, aimed at feeding the 33 wards currently at the facility.

In addition, Hi-Pro provided technical assistance in the setting up of the chicken coop guided by the company’s technical representative, Kirk Pennant.

The home will also be receiving support in the raising of the birds from a long-time neighbour and volunteer Elaine Mowatt, affectionately known as the Community Mother, who has experience with broiler management.

In addition to the Hi-Pro initiative, Lackesha Pitter, brand manager, Reggae Jammin’ and Hamilton’s Smokehouse, who was on hand to treat the children and staff to Reggae Jammin’ hot dogs, announced that since the turnaround time for chicks to mature would be six weeks, the Best Dressed Chicken brand would donate two cases of ‘A’ grade whole birds, to get some quality protein on the plates of the Strathemore Gardens’ children right away. The presentation was made to Marcia Tucker, director of the home and her team of caregivers.

“We are so thankful,” said Tucker. “We needed the help, as we are even looking to expand the home so we can accommodate more children and to be self-sufficient in the production of chickens brings us closer to realising that goal,” she continued.

The Hi-Pro #GROWSTRONG programme was launched on June 12 of this year. To date the programme has established a layer unit at the Maxfield Park Children’s home and distributed over 1,300 bags of Hi-Pro Feed to farmers through a network of Hi-Pro dealers and various livestock associations.

Through partnerships with the Jamaica Agricultural Society, the Rural Agricultural Development Agency and the Trelawny Praedial Larceny Unit, small farmers have also been issued with over 450 Hi-Pro #GROWSTRONG crop kits containing seeds, herbicide, pesticide and fungicide for the planting of a quarter-acre plot.

“The welfare of our small farmers is the very core of our business,” said Hi-Pro marketing officer, Denise Johnson-Anderson. “The past few months have been challenging for them and this initiative is a way of demonstrating our support. Jamaican farmers are resilient and we are confident in their ability to come back better and stronger than before,” she noted.