KINGSTON, Jamaica – Thousands of Jamaicans are reaping hearty and wholesome vegetables and tantalising herbs from small gardens planted in their backyards under the Backyard Gardening Kit Programme.

Spearheaded by the Ministry of Agriculture and Fisheries in collaboration with the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), the initiative, which was introduced during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the distribution of 2,500 kits, aims to strengthen the country’s food security by enabling citizens to grow and consume their own produce, thereby saving costs while enhancing their nutrition, health and well-being.

Individuals in urban and peri-urban areas are provided with starter kits containing assorted seeds, herbs, a seed tray, potting mixture, and handheld shovel and fork to start these gardens at home.

“When persons think of backyard gardening, we`re talking about small spaces. You can do containers, you can focus on vertical gardening – you can utilise anything,” Extension Education Specialist at RADA, and Lead Officer for the programme, Alicia Chambers said.

A total of 2,500 kits were distributed at the introduction of the programme in 2021. Distribution of another 3,000 kits started in November 2023, with 1,000 disseminated since then.

Chambers informs that each householder receives three assorted seeds along with herbs in the kit.

“I know [the seeds are] callaloo, pak choi, lettuce, tomato, possibly sweet potato. Also in the kit you will be provided with a small hand fork, a small hand shovel, you will also get a seed tray, potting mixture and also some sort of nutrient that can be applied as well. Everything is in there, and it is just for you to start your backyard garden,” she said.

Chambers stated that the public has responded positively to the programme since its introduction, noting that there continues to be a high demand for the kits even in the post-pandemic period.

As distribution continues, she explained that there will be a renewed effort to assist householders to establish gardens in small spaces.

She said the public education campaigns on the programme will also continue, and monitoring will be strengthened to determine its effectiveness.

The Backyard Gardening Kit Programme is an integral component of the New FACE of Food, which focuses on Food Security, Agribusiness Development, Climate Smart Technologies and Export Expansion.

It also aligns with national outcome #1 of Vision 2030, which aims to achieve a healthy and stable population by empowering individuals towards self-sufficiency and food security.

Long-term goals include improving the nutritional diet of families by allowing access to vegetables, motivating Jamaicans to take an active role in reducing their food expenses and decreasing their dependence on imported goods.

For Jamaicans looking to achieve greater food security and control over their food choices, Chambers said, “You just need to ‘eat what you grow, grow what you eat’, and that`s also another campaign that is being pushed.”

-JIS