Kitchen garden initiative being pushed in Region 10 amid COVID-19

May 28, 2020 News

A kitchen garden initiative is being pushed by Region 10 officials even as the country battles the novel coronavirus disease, COVID-19. In fact, according to reports, coming out of the Region, the Regional Health and Emergency Committee (RHEC) has stressed the importance of residents embracing the venture with urgency. Regional Agricultural Officer, Deryck Collins, has, moreover, appealed for persons to maximize the opportunities that this can provide during COVID-19.

REO Orrin Gordon examines a nursery as Regional Agricultural Officer, Deryck Collins, looks on.

Collins pointed out that in conducting some surveys and examinations he recognized that some persons were of the view that a kitchen garden requires large land space. In dispelling this notion he said that pots, pans, buckets and even bowls can be used to plant several vegetables. In a demonstration recently hosted at the Region 10 Regional Democratic Council, Collins disclosed that whatever space is available, once organized, can be used to plant.
“We must understand that planting, especially in these times, is important as it helps us to return to those days when almost every household had a kitchen garden. We must desist from this concept that farming is not a good thing…planting should be a passion for every Guyanese. It is important to know that a lot of what they are eating would have come from their own yard space. It helps in creating food security and ensures that what you are consuming is of quality,” said Collins.
Collins said that he, together with the Regional Executive Officer (REO), Orrin Gordon, and Regional Chairman (RC), Renis Morian, have been at pains over the years trying to convince persons that farming is the way to go and have appealed on numerous occasions for persons to maximize opportunities that it presents.
He said that while earlier appeals fell on deaf ears, a number of persons are now beginning to recognize that they may need to turn to kitchen gardens. “This pandemic has brought a positive spinoff in the sense that more persons are eager and determined to start their kitchen gardens as they recognize that accessing fruits and vegetables can be challenging at times. Therefore, we are happy thus far with the increased interest being shown and stand ready to lend whatever support that we can to ensure that more persons would start their kitchen gardens,” he reiterated.
REO Gordon in stressing the importance of farming said that with more persons getting into farming, whether on small or large scale, will help to enhance food security. He said that the Region is prepared to offer some seedlings, noting that there are adequate lands that residents can utilize in this regard.
“There are still a large amount of produce coming into the region and while at the moment we do not grow enough to adequately sustain our residents, I am still of the view that if more persons get into farming through their kitchen garden and farming whatever lands they have, we would no longer require people coming in to sell us food. We can do it on our own, but we must be determined and disciplined,” the REO underscored at a recent RHEC meeting.
Meanwhile, Regional Chairman Morian said that the notion that farming is for some persons is one that must be expelled from people’s mind. According to Morian, he too is engaged in planting vegetables and fruits, adding that he dedicates a few hours each day to this. “I still crave everyday going home where I would spend some time in my kitchen garden because the joy comes when I can pick what I would have planted to have it placed in my kitchen. We must understand that this situation that we are faced with provides an opportunity for us all to exploit it by planting, and I hope that the appeal of the Agricultural Officer and the REO would be heeded by persons as we move forward,” he said.