Kirkpatrick Walker a model farmer
Published:Saturday | March 19, 2011 | 12:00 AM
Karen Sudu, Gleaner Writer
GUY'S HILL, St Catherine: Kirkpatrick Walker could hardly contain his enthusiasm as he showed freshly reaped Irish potatoes to a team - including Gregory Mair, member of parliament (MP) for North East St Catherine - that toured his farm recently.
Indications are that, as a beneficiary of a $2.2-million greenhouse, funded by the European Union Banana Support Programme (EUBSP) and the Constituency Development Fund (CDF) project, he will be even more excited when construction is completed.
"In addition to the four greenhouses built in Top Mountain, five new ones will be constructed - three in Middlesex, one in Ragsville and one in Pear Tree Grove," Mair told The Gleaner.
The facilities are being built with money from the CDF. "It's the way going forward. In a 3,000-foot greenhouse, you can do the same as you do in 30,000-square foot of open land, so it's less area, less labour, and greater yields," Mair added.
Jhenelle McIntyre, project manager, Competitiveness Company, told The Gleaner that farmers are usually encouraged to participate in the construction of the greenhouses.
This is "so that we have a transfer of knowledge, not only in how to manage the greenhouses and grow crops, but also to construct the structure," McIntyre, a member of the touring party, pointed out.
At the same time, while highlighting Walker's long-standing involvement in the sector, Hilda Vaughn, project officer, lauds him for his perseverance.
"He is accustomed to growing large acreages of stuff. He is one of our model farmers. He has been trained and he has been practising it. He does almost everything the right way," Vaughn said.
Love for agriculture
However, Walker's love for the agricultural sector has not eliminated the challenges that come with large-scale production.
"Money to pay the workers sometimes is challenging, especially when you don't have anything reaping. Labour cost is challenging," he explained, adding that this had never deterred him from forging ahead.
The articulate father of three commends the Diversify to Compete project that focuses on improving production and the marketing strategies of participating farmers once dependent on bananas. They are trained in good agricultural practices, including growing various crops, record keeping, and crop rotation. Under the project, implemented by the Competitiveness Company, cultivators were asked to provide at least one acre of land for specially selected crops. Beneficiaries were given start-up planting materials such as pumpkin seeds, yams, string beans, ginger, turmeric, and sweet potato.
"I have two acres of sweet potatoes under the programme and I got assistance with fertiliser and so on. It's a good thing," Walker said, adding that he is working towards buying a pickup to transport his produce.