By Mr. Ika Fergus, FAO National Correspondent
As Antigua and Barbuda joined the world in observance of World Food Day yesterday, it is important that we pay homage to our farmers, who, despite facing increasingly complex and accumulating economic, social, and environmental shocks and stresses, have continued to be the lifeblood and MVPs (Most Valuable Players) of our Food Security.
World Food Day is a flagship event of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).
The Feed, the Needy Food Drive, is an important annual initiative that has been featured on occasion. It is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Agriculture—Extension Division, the FAO, the Directorate of Gender Affairs, and the Adopt a Family Charity Group.
According to a UN report, 783 million people globally don’t know where their next meal is coming from.
As a small island developing state (SID), Antigua and Barbuda are no exception, as
the ongoing disruptions to the global supply chain continue to negatively impact food prices locally.
Therefore, ensuring that nutritious food is available, affordable, accessible, and utilized properly is essential for a healthy and thriving nation.
At its core, the “Feed the Needy” Food Drive embodies the true spirit of catering to the needs of the less fortunate and vulnerable in our society. Since its inception in 2018, the initiative has grown significantly and has benefited over 2000 individuals, primarily by providing locally grown fruits and vegetables from some of our pioneer farmers across Antigua and Barbuda. Over 60 food packages were distributed to less fortunate and vulnerable as part of the collaboration.
As we mark and observe World Food Day 2024, let us all be reminded that Food is not just simply a source of sustenance to life, but rather a fundamental human right. Therefore, through our collective efforts, let us change the tide against hunger and poverty, and pave the way for a more food-secure Antigua and Barbuda.
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The road to food security passes through the checkpoints and gates of the gangsters Bull Gates and Musky Musk.
As for Antigua & Barbuda the joke is on the farmers being lied to by our well nurtured crooks known as politicians.
the prime minister has a better farm than all other farmers in Antigua….
@Sikes October 17, 2024 At 9:33 am
And why is that?
The Prime Minister started something and soon thereafter he realized that farming is not a job for illiterate uneducated school dropout individuals. It may have been so decades ago. When farming was very labour intensive and done in the open fields. But these days farming is a science. You have to be knowledgeable of the science topics such as Biology, Chemistry.
” Typically offered as a Bachelor of Science (BSc Agriculture), agriculture courses are highly interdisciplinary, requiring students to have a good grasp of both natural sciences and social sciences, and drawing on areas such as biology, environmental sciences, chemistry, economics and business and management.” And these are just a few.
The PM was able to team up with someone who has his PHD in Agriculture Science. It is for that reason that he was and is able to introduce and apply the latest modern agricultural techniques. Many of the people that are calling themselves farmers in this country are school dropouts. I have mention this before, but the person working in the Agriculture division for the government are dipping into two pots. They all have their private farms and using government time and assets for their own benefits. In other words if I have a farm and need their expertise to assist me, they will not do so, knowing that I will be able to make money and compete with their farm. They will just not assist me to the best of their ability. None of them. Antigua is a small community and everyone knows everyone. That is why things will always be the way they are. You bring a group of Chinese Agriculturists here to assist and these people have no clue about how the system work and are frustrated because of that. In the end they achieve nothing. I hope the next generation farmers in this country will be university trained persons that do not need any technical assistance from no one in the ministry and just apply their acquired knowledge in their profession. Food security is much to important to leave it in the hands of un-educated school dropouts individuals. They cannot take us anywhere.
@sikes just so you know Farmer Browne have already sold his farm after he allegedly used the government resources such as land, had APUA establish water and electricity public works did the roads.
@Less We Forget also known as Tiko maybe you can tell us who the farm was sold to. Outside of an investigation by the State WAF law enforcement agency’s.
Why so much chemicals in the Food productions. The true Culprit to OLD farming (introduced to partially/ ignorant folks who knew very little.. post emancipation no mentorship apprenticeships shame on you ..to Discourage healthy farming. Alleging backwardness when the scare factor was to encourage “CARTI ” to continue to alter the Quality of nutritional FOODS Give ALL People Healthy FOODS by growing NO CHEMICAL SPRAYED foods their shelf life a mere couple days(no refrigeration) a couple of hours(literally tomatoes green peppers look OK on the outside BUT inside NO. Tired of lifeless foods no vitamin insurance because the direction is to be SICK and EAT hardly anything nutritional LOCAL and EXPORTS with 780-1700 mg in SODIUM in a 2oz fast food noodle package .Price Control” ” you are what you eat” prices and QUALITIES NEED TO BE MONITER together .NOT by CHANCE…read and consume why Tolerate or ALLOW inferior of ALL Consumpition. THINK HEALTHY not competitive in running a race with inferior science….CHANGE to only Healthy Farming..
Why SO MUCH CHEMICALS IN AGRICULTURE FOODS>> why CARDI is TOLERATED to continue to ALTER the nutritional VALUES of recent acknowledged POST COVID 19 realities…SICKNESS? as it relates to Vaccinated and Non vaccinated. Shame on a blameless post emancipated , people people who did not NEED Mentorship, apprenticeship after barely being able to sustain themselves…DISEASE is not tolerated in HEALTHY DIETS and HEALTHY LIFESTYLES.. Science TODAY in HOLITIC THINKING is PRICELESS……RE THINK ..are we competing to final our mere existence ..ALL cannot be wrong. The quality of Food production and most export is FAILING …LOOKS good for a couple of days (no refrigeration)for example tomatoes & green peppers ok, then you notice rot inside??as a result of centuries of CARDI induce CARICOM methods. Natural farming is challenging most lands are compromised(no normal/natural insects or bee, soil, trees etc can survive or enable HEALTHY CULTIVATION. continually with CHEMICALS… SPRAYING. POST COVID 19 realities, needs LIFETIME of eating ONLY HEALTHY NUTRITIONAL FOOD STANDARDS…STOP Competing with limited results CAPITALISM, sucks when there are NO VISIONARIES..LISTEN our brothers and sisters in Neighboring DIASPORAS know simple and GREAT ways to FEED THE NEEDY.. HEAlthy foods MODEST pricing and Healthy BARtering…..SHARE>>THE GLOBE
correction *years of CARDI and induce CARICOM methods
Antigua news room Thanks for posting comments the correction above was attached to second attempt of posting. Thanks for your patience. BOTH post relates my sentiments ( I thought my guest mode on borrowed laptop hinder my first “sent POST COMMENT”…please be advised ..thank you if you wish to share;;
In addition to growing healthy food, the healthy food needs to be used more by restaurants, food shops, food vendors etc. Where in town can you regularly find a reasonably priced bowl of vegetable soup? Where are the other healthy veggie dishes – boiled or baked not fried? More needs to be done to encourage the sale of a variety of healthy meals based on fruits and veggies. Perhaps to get a license to operate, persons should be required to sell a certain percentage of healthy meals based on vegetables or fruits?