NEW Hope Primary School has topped the first phase of the Westmoreland Primary Schools’ Container Gardening Project.

New Hope is joined in the second round by Grange Hill Primary School, New Works Primary School, and St Paul’s Primary School.

Organised by Icon Importers and Distributors Limited, the competition is designed to promote sustainable agriculture and food security among young students.

A total of 25 primary schools participated in the first phase of the competition, which was held from September to November 2024.

Teams of five students were tasked with growing bok choy, sweet pepper, and turnip in recycled plastic containers.

During phase two of the competition, the schools will receive five-gallon containers, seeds, fertilisers, and technical guidance from the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) and the Jamaica Agricultural Society (JAS) to grow an entire school garden.

Addressing the launch of phase two at Icon Importers and Distributors Limited in Savanna-la-Mar on Friday, chairman of the Westmoreland 4-H Parish Advisory Council, Pius Lacan, said the programme is expected to “create a shift in culture in looking at agricultural production and utilising [plastic] containers as a major avenue”.

According to Lacan, Icon Importers and Distributors is using this avenue as part of its social responsibility in terms of recycling those five-gallon containers.

In the meantime, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Icon Importers and Distributors Moses Chybar said the company is committed to community and youth development as well as environmental responsibility.

Chybar pointed out that by recycling plastic containers, the project mitigates pollution while encouraging agricultural practices among the youngsters ahead of their transition to high schools.

He said there are plans to continue the competition annually, as this represents an investment by Icon in the country’s future.

For his part, JAS President Owen Dobson noted the timeliness of the launch in April, which is being celebrated as Farmers’ Month.

Dobson indicated that the initiative serves as a foundation for developing future farmers as well as addressing food security from the grass roots level.

“The JAS, we endorse it, and we are right behind it. We are giving our stakeholders and our business sector the support that we can give to them to make this a reality,” Dobson said.

The Westmoreland Primary Schools’ Container Gardening Project is powered by the collaborative efforts of several sponsors, such as Grower’s Choice, 4-H Clubs in Westmoreland, JAS, Lewiscotch Nursery & Seeds, Avery’s Organic Fertilizer and Bamboo Bioproducts, among others.

— JIS