Toyota to help boost agri sector

CAR DEALER Toyota Jamaica is to contribute a portion of its sales to Jamaica's agricultural sector.

A memorandum of understanding was signed between Toyota Jamaica's Managing Director John Connell and Agriculture Minister Dr Christopher Tufton at the ministry's Hope Gardens, St Andrew, office on Tuesday.

The deal will see Toyota Jamaica donating $2,000 from each new vehicle sold over the next two years to the 4-H movement. The money will be handed over monthly.

"It can go a long way, not only to assist in agriculture, but also to the development of our young people," Connell said.

The 4-H movement, a school-based body established to mobilise, educate, and train young people in agriculture, homemaking, leadership and social skills, will be the executing agency for all the projects being fuelled by Toyota Jamaica's contribution.

The first $200,000 was handed over to Tufton by Connell on Tuesday. The money will go to the Ebenezer Home in Manchester to help the indigent at the facility establish a garden plot to produce food for their consumption.

In pointing to the reason for the partnership, Connell said agriculture is the backbone of the nation and it needs to be encouraged.

"Let us remember Dr Tufton's words: 'Grow what you eat, eat what you grow', and hopefully, this will support that initiative."

For his part, Tufton expressed confidence that the partnership could result in the food bills for schools being significantly reduced.

"The 4-H movement has tremendous reach. You have 70,000 clubbites in over 600 schools. We do have an existing programme trying to build out school garden in all schools, so we have another 300 or more schools to go, and this could help us in that respect," Tufton said.

The school gardens programme was launched in October 2008 by Tufton, who targeted establishing approximately 1,000 school gardens across the island by the end of this year.