AT age 84 Percival Williams has seen a lot but what he’s never seen is a pandemic. With its uncertainty and shake-ups, 2020 has taught this poultry farmer two things: resilience and compassion.

As his chickens grace tables across Jamaica, serving as the focal point as families consider a new meaning for holiday traditions, Williams is proud of his role in keeping some normalcy during a very unusual Christmas.

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A second-generation farmer, for Williams, his work is seen as a gift as much as it is an occupation.

“It is a pleasure for me to do chicken farming because it’s always been a part of me. My parents were in farming, and I continued there. Before I started I was with the Government but I left the civil service in 1987, and I am grateful that since then I’ve been doing extremely [well], winning many awards as a Jamaica Broilers contract farmer,” he says.

“Our partnership is like a family, and I proudly recommend the organisation to all aspiring business owners.”

Located in Kelly Pen, Old Harbour, Williams’ poultry farm consists of five tunnel houses, each at 16,000 square feet. With a capacity of 125,000 birds Williams has mastered the art of production, leaning into best-in-class technology and his more than 30 years of experience.

“With the help of Jamaica Broilers field officers, who visit often, we continue to produce quality birds year over year,” he says.

Looking back on 2020, Williams believes that the pandemic’s real meaning became evident when he realised the level of sacrifices required to endure the journey.

“But I am a fighter, and despite all disappointments I will never give up,” he quips. When quizzed about how he finds the confidence to work through the crisis, Williams says he draws on his faith. “God has spared my life that I can continue to do this work.” And now with production back to pre-COVID-19 levels, Williams, his son Andrew and five employees are embracing the opportunity to do just that.

At about 4:00 am each day the team heads to the farm and inspects each of the five houses to ensure that all is going well. He said he often spends the entire day there until he returns home in the evening to play a game of dominoes with his friends and family.

With the new year just on the horizon Williams remains optimistic that better days are ahead.

“I am hopeful that the pandemic will soon end and that we can get back to normal,” he says. He offers these words of encouragement to other small farmers: “There are bad times and good times. Do not let the bad times bring you down — continue to fight, and you will overcome.”