Family Garden Project promotes renewable energy

It is the most beautiful sight - acres of herbs and collards - kale, Swiss chard, arugula, basil, cilantro, dill, rosemary and chives. The location is Jack's Hill, St Andrew, at Jamaica's first solar-powered hydroponic farming, 'Family Garden Project'.

The project was one of eight selected from a pool of 189 proposals, named winners of the 2012 IDEAS Energy Innovation Contest sponsored by UKAid from the Department for International Development and implemented by GVEP International (Global Village Energy Partnership) - a non-profit organisation that works to increase access to modern energy and reduce poverty in developing countries.

Launched in 2009, IDEAS is a contest designed to support the development of innovative ideas promoting renewable energies and improving energy efficiency throughout Latin America and the Caribbean. It provided grant funding, and technical and business development support to turn winning ideas into financially sustainable businesses, helping to solve the energy problems facing the countries.

Family Garden founder, Rebecca Harper is elated at the achievements to date. The original premise of the enterprise was to unite communities by introducing a solid foundation for good sustainable farming practices, and providing employment and a reliable electricity supply.

The Jack's Hill community, like so many others in Jamaica, had been using the traditional 'slash and burn' method to clear land to farm, but the side effects of this practice led to soil erosion, flooding and land slippage, and the continual cycle of destroying potential farming plots, and other bad agricultural practices lead to many residents leaving to seek work elsewhere.

The Family Garden Project has produced more than 40 jobs and has created solid links between local businesses: hotels and restaurants buying and ordering produce grown from the company.

According to Harper, "We have been overwhelmed by the success of the enterprise."