#Kingston, November 29, 2022 – The Agriculture and Fisheries Ministry will be engaging Agricultural Science and Food and Nutrition teachers on the national ‘Grow Smart, Eat Smart’ campaign.

Portfolio Minister, Hon. Pearnel Charles Jr., disclosed details of the initiative during his keynote address at the Eat Jamaican Day Expo in Kingston, on November 25.

He said the collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Youth is to “start the conversation” on how teachers can influence students on how to ‘Grow Smart, Eat Smart’.

As such, a conference, dubbed ‘A Conversation with the Minister’, is being hosted by the Jamaica 4-H Clubs and will take place at the Shortwood Teachers’ College in Kingston, on November 29.

Minister Charles will use the medium to outline to educators the purpose and intended outcomes of the ‘Grow Smart, Eat Smart’ campaign, and how they can play a role by becoming ambassadors of the national movement.

An advisory from the Jamaica 4-H Clubs indicates that the teachers are being mobilised through the Education Ministry and the organisation.

They will be drawn from over 150 institutions that include Agricultural Science and Food and Nutrition in their curricula.

Additionally, Mr. Charles said, following the conference, the Ministry will be identifying ways to meet with students.

“You, students, have the creativity to push down the barriers; you must push the leaders to think more and to do more. You must be overt in expressing yourself. I want to hear what’s on your mind… and we want to say to you, come and play your role,” the Minister said.

Meanwhile, Mr. Charles has outlined additional collaborative efforts with key partners, such as the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.

“The Ministry of Labour and Social Security is connected to us because we provide employment for more than 200,000 in this country. We’re going to work with HEART [and] we’re going to work with all of the training facilities, to make sure that we can bring capacity to agriculture and fisheries,” he said.

“We are going to introduce, not only in the schools, but in the churches and in the community centres across Jamaica, the plans for how you can grow smart and eat smart, whether in your backyard or at your church. Everywhere in Jamaica, you can join the trend of growing smart and eating smart,” Minister Charles added.

Contact: Mickella Anderson

Release: JIS