SAVANNA-LA-MAR, Westmoreland — Newly installed president of the Rotary Club of Savanna-la-Mar Demerce Guscott said the club intends to introduce various farming techniques to primary and high schools within the parish as a way to get youngsters involved in sustainable agriculture practices.

“We will be focusing on some new technologies like hydroponics and aquaponics. We will be looking to see how best we can introduce those into schools and to see how best we can have those incorporated to make agriculture fun again,” stated Guscott.

He said the club will be using the summer holidays to fine-tune all its plans as it moves to start a drip irrigation system in September.

While he did not reveal the cost of the project, the president said the club will be working on fund-raising events during the calendar year.

Guscott, who is a 4-H club agronomist, explained that the aim is to have the Rotary Club work closely with 4-H clubs in the parish to make Rotary’s 2023-2024 youth training project a reality.

“We are looking to work with children [because] they are the ones who are coming up. We have to do these initiatives; agriculture is the key. [We have to] eat what we grow, grow what we eat,” he elaborated.

Guscott, who was speaking with the Jamaica Observer following the club’s 54th annual installation dinner and awards ceremony last Saturday, disagrees with those who claim youngsters have no interest in the land.

“I have seen where we have youth that are very interested in doing agricultural programmes. We are willing to work with them and see how best we can improve what they do have now,” he promised.

During the function, which was held at Hotel Commingle in Savanna-la-Mar, nine other club members were also installed on the administrative board for the year 2023-2024.

The new directors are: Immediate Past President Sandra Molyneaux, who will serve as vice-president; secretary, Dionne Meyler Barrett; treasurer, Roy Reid; and sergeant-at-arms, Hilda Hibbert.

Other directors include club administration director, Audrey Williams Woolery; membership director, Kevin Hammond; service projects director, Sheldon Edwards; public image director, Carol James; Rouchelle Harvey who will focus on youth service; Rotary Foundation director, Douglas Arnold; and executive secretary, Coretta Spence.

The president said the club will continue a number of projects started by his predecessor, in addition to expanding its outreach programmes.

Some of the projects successfully completed by the immediate past president during her tenure included an essay competition in which six primary schools participated; the donation of two tablets that made it possible for students in need to access online classes at Broughton Primary; peace and conflict resolution training for six eleventh graders from Manning’s School and Petersfield High School; as well as the creation of better and more accessible sidewalks and the bushing of the area near a bus stop at Ferris Primary School.

In addition, there was a session on backyard gardening conducted for the community of Bluefields, students of Savanna-la-Mar Primary, and fellow Rotarians as a means of encouraging people to grow what they eat. A Christmas luncheon was also hosted for more than 150 elderly, indigent and needy people identified by the Salvation Army; educational sessions were conducted; seven wheelchairs were donatedand; and the refurbishing of a play area at the Westhaven Children’s Home in Hanover was also carried out.

These are among the initiatives that have earned the Rotary Club of Savanna-la-Mar an award from Rotary District 7020 — made up of 83 Rotary clubs in 10 different Caribbean countries or territories — for exceptional work done throughout the year.