Minister of Agriculture Dr Christopher Tufton (second left) presents a gardening kit consisting of a bag of fertiliser, seedlings, a hand shovel and fork and a watering can to Dolkeith Brown (third right) while exchanging pleasantries with Mayor of Spanish Town, Dr Andrew Wheatley (third left), Farm Queen 2007 Donnette Skervin (left), Mayor of Portmore Keith Hinds and his wife Marjorie (right) at the official launch of the Urban Backyard Garden Programme at the Portmore Lions' Civic Centre last Saturday. - Peta-Gaye Clachar/Staff Photographer

PORTMORE, St Catherine:

Thirty residents of Spanish Town and Portmore in St Catherine received gardening kits at the official launch of the urban backyard garden programme last Saturday at the Portmore Lions' Civic Centre in the parish.

In an effort to counteract the effect of rising food costs, the initiative, announced by agriculture minister, Dr Christopher Tufton, in his budget presentation in April, is aimed at assisting householders to grow fruits, vegetables and herbs in small spaces.

During his budget presentation, Tufton said, by simply growing two cycles of tomato, cucumber, sweet pepper and pak choi, the average households would save approximately $12,000 annually.

One recipient of a backyard garden kit, Dolkeith Brown of Naggo Head in Portmore, said his project saves him about $5,000 monthly.

"More time me get a han' a banana and calalloo from me yard for me Sunday breakfast," said Brown, who plants various crops, such as corn, at home.

Much pleasure

Another recipient, Victoria Nolan, said she was elated to receive a kit.

"There is so much pleasure knowing that you put in the hard work and you can reap and personally enjoy it," said Nolan, a resident of Newlands in Portmore.

Some 400 households in Portmore and Spanish Town are expected to receive kits consisting of seeds, soil nutrients, tools and basic crop care information. The kits were developed by the Rural Agricultural Development Authority (RADA), which will be monitoring the production process of gardeners over three months.

Al Powell, executive director of RADA, said a similar pilot project would be rolled out in Montego Bay, St James and Ocho Rios, St Ann.

Powell also said an additional 10,000 garden kits would be prepared for sale at farm stores islandwide. The kits will be sold for about $1,000.

After the launch, Tufton, Mayor of Portmore, Keith Hinds, and Mayor of Spanish Town, Dr Andrew Wheatley handed out the kits to residents.