Granville residents plant seeds of hope

Karrie Williams, Gleaner Writer

WESTERN BUREAU:A two-acre pepper farm is helping to transform the lives of residents in Granville and surrounding communities in St James and is seen as a viable alternative to address the high levels of unemployment, which have impacted these neighbourhoods.

The farm, which is located in the adjoining district of Retirement, was established by the Granville Peace, Justice and Resource Development Foundation, with funding support from the West Central St James Constituency Development Fund (CDF).

"This farm generates a lot of community pride for our residents. We had over 100 persons signing up for participation when we started last August, but being a pilot project, we could only accept 12 individuals. Already, we are seeing so much success that we want to turn it into a mini-agro park and get more youth involved," Carolette Virgo, secretary of the farm, told Western Focus.

From as early as 5:30 a.m. each day, the farmers start their daily routine of planting new seedlings, removing shrubs, inspecting the growing plants for insect infestations and other diseases, as well as watering and fertilising whenever necessary.

FIGHTING STIGMA

Citing a long-standing stigma attached to both the Granville and Retirement communities as being havens for crime in St James, Virgo praised the project, which she said was a viable mechanism for change.

"This is something positive coming out of Retirement. It's time for a change. The community needed a change away from the gun violence that we had become accustomed to. This project motivates the community members and shows them that they can become gainfully employed and earn an income for themselves," she said.

In agreeing with Virgo, executive director of the organisation, O. Dave Allen, said the farming project being pursued in Granville would significantly strengthen the community's economic footing.

"We are seeking to strengthen the capacity of the communities. We see the problems really as economic and therefore we have to find solutions which are economic," Allen said.

The St James branch of the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA) has also partnered with the project to offer technical training to the farmers and to distribute supplies of fertilisers and chemicals to them periodically.

When Western Focus toured the farm recently, RADA officers were also on a visit to supply the farmers with additional fertilisers and chemicals.

"What we are doing here today is to facilitate the process of the CDF programme, which comes through the member of parliament. So we are here ensuring that the farmers receive the inputs from the fund," expressed Courtney Taylor, acting deputy parish manager for RADA, St James.

He added: "We are very happy to be associated with the farmers and the farming communities because that is what RADA's role is all about - rural development through farming."

In the meantime, the farmers are calling for an improvement to their current water-supply system to enable the plants to flourish.

"We would like a better water supply in the area as that would enable us to farm more and reap more from our crops. We also have access to a pond that we would like to use for fish rearing, but we need a proper water system to facilitate that," Lancelot Taylor, a farmer, said.