KINGSTON, Jamaica — The Fi We Children Foundation (FWCF) is expressing support for the Ministry of Education’s continued emphasis on school gardens as a practical and effective means of promoting healthy eating habits and addressing childhood obesity among Jamaica’s children and young people.

In a statement on Saturday, the Foundation said its position follows recent remarks by Deputy Chief Education Officer for Core Curriculum and Support Services, Winnie Berry, who highlighted the continued implementation of the National School Garden Project and the critical role school gardens play in fostering healthy lifestyles among students.

Noting that Jamaica continues to grapple with rising rates of childhood obesity and other non-communicable diseases (NCDs), FWCF stressed that initiatives that empower children to make informed nutritional choices are both timely and essential.

The group shared that addressing childhood obesity requires a holistic approach that combines nutrition education, access to healthy foods, physical activity, and supportive school environments.

It said that this further underscores the importance of the full implementation of the National School Nutrition Policy, acknowledging that school gardens provide students with practical, hands-on learning experiences that strengthen their understanding of food systems, agriculture, environmental stewardship, and healthy living.

Acknowledging that similar efforts have long been championed through the work of 4-H Clubs across Jamaica, including in Hanover, where young people have been actively engaged in agricultural education and food production the Foundation stated:

“Children have a right to the highest attainable standard of health. Programmes such as the National School Garden Project help foster positive relationships with healthy foods from an early age and can contribute significantly to reducing the burden of non-communicable diseases among future generations.

FWCF is encouraging the expansion of school gardens across Jamaica, particularly in underserved communities, and calls for continued investment in nutrition education, healthy school meal programmes, child wellness initiatives, and the effective implementation of the National School Nutrition policy that support healthy school environments.

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