The Jamaica Observer scooped news of Marcus Garvey’s son donating to Dominica hundreds of fast growing, high yield breadfruit plants. This landmark gift may well signal a turning point for a brand new industry in the Nature Isle.
Reaction was instantaneous. Some farmers could not wait to get their hands on the precious plants while contributing nothing to the process. Wait a minute… Already, Dominica is demanding donors now pay for ordinary pots for transplantation, which are widely available on island. Meanwhile, naysayers complain that we have a lot of our own breadfruit, so why bring in more. On social media, critics rail against the introduction of genetically modified organisms (GMO’s) into the island. Shockingly, they worry these new breadfruit varieties may cause cancer and fear it is some scheme to damage our agriculture like Black sigatoka.
Well, absolutely nothing could be further from the truth. SMH. First of all, the plants are in no way genetically modified anymore than someone wanting the fierce guard dog may opt for a pitbull. It is not genetically modified, just a different breed. So these breadfruit plants are natural breeds carefully selected for the desired purpose. Secondly, the plants are produced by tissue culture, which uses the best available technology to ensure the plants are free from harmful bacteria or viruses.
Superfood
After generations of branding breadfruit as slave food and poor people’s food, suddenly today it is touted as a superfruit with all these health benefits.
Farmer and agro-processor, Pastor Adrien Bannis and Leslie Shillingford, who attended a recent international conference on breadfruit, outlined the latest findings. Breadfruit is rich in fiber. This helps ward off cancer-causing chemicals from the colon while reducing blood cholesterol and obesity. It is an excellent source of potassium and reduces blood pressure. It possesses antioxidant properties, has more vitamin C than bananas and is a good source of B complex vitamins and minerals. Its complex carbohydrates have a lower glycemic index than much in our staple diet. Therefore, more breadfruit will help reduce the devastating epidemic of diabetes and chronic non-communicable diseases.
Most Dominicans today only know about yampere woti, cooked or fried. The day is coming when breadfruit flour will replace a significant portion of flour imported for baking, chips and French fries. The tree will be short so anyone can pick it by hand while standing on the ground! You won’t have to joogooloo it with a long bamboo and damage the fruit when it falls from a height. We are talking about production scale of a cash crop. Like Garvey’s son, I am completely sold on the product. So much so, it’s been years since I’ve enjoyed a good tor-tor. I am desperate to buy a mortar pestle, so help me if you can!
History in the Making
What makes this development especially interesting is its amazing historical perspective. A hundred years ago, Jamaican-born, the Honourable Marcus Garvey, arguably meant more to the African diaspora than Mandella or Martin Luther King in their time. His Universal Negro Improvement Association (UNIA) founded the Black Star shipping line to expand trade among black countries. His ideas resonated with progressive Dominicans such that Ralph Casimir invited him to an unprecedented visit to our island. The supreme irony is that today his son, New York heart surgeon Dr. Julius Garvey, is the one making the donation to Dominica in the name of regional food security.
In more ways than one, we are coming full circle. Over 200 years ago, Captain Bligh was tasked with bringing the breadfruit from Tahiti to the Caribbean. His crew just could not grasp the importance of those plants so they subjected him to a “Mutiny on the Bounty” and set him adrift to die. He survived, the mutineers faced stiff justice and Bligh later completed his mission. In the face of great adversity, Captain Bligh personified Admiral Nelson’s order, “Britain expects every man to do his duty.” An educated person should not be unfamiliar with this riveting story. Click here for the video
The Caribbean Agricultural Network, brainchild of Maryland attorney Gabriel Christian and CEO Francis Richards, deserves full credit for bringing this to pass. Director of Operations Errol Emanuel and his distinguished team members on island have devoted countless hours of legwork and logistical planning. Prime Minister Skerrit and the Ministry of Agriculture have been outstanding in facilitating the whole process. But much work needs to be done before we can see the concrete rewards to our nation.
In a relay race, when they pass you the baton, you have to seize it firmly – and press the gas! No team ever won if one member fails to run, no matter how far ahead they might be. Captain Bligh did his duty. So did Marcus Garvey and his son, the doctor. Now it’s our turn. So let us begin by better saying a heartfelt thank you to those who have gotten us to where we are today. Let us digest the full impact of these plants and play our part in finally making this dream come true.
Dr. Sam Christian is surgeon who runs the Urgent Care on 137 Bath Road. In addition, it offers general medical care, CPR, office surgery, acupuncture and microdermabrasion. Dr. Christian is Medical Adviser to the Dominica Cancer Society and can be reached at 440-9133 or by writing to [email protected].
The International Breadfruit conference was an eye opener, lots in fact a jeh information and wonderful people from all over the world attended.
The plants from Global Breadfruit and the efforts of Dr. Garvey are welcomed, thanks again Doc
The numbers make sense. Breadfruit will certainly assist in the transformation of our agricultural industry and food security.
Plants in Trinidad are produced from cuttings originating from trees that produce fruit that they like and are accustomed too.
I could go on and on about all the positives. i’ll just say for now Lets do it.
Doc ! I have a suggestion why don’t you plant 9 planta around the ministry like blowing of the conhco
shells 5 yrs ago.
thanks for the info
. I am desperate to buy a mortar pestle, so help me if you can! Doc thought being a distant relative .Your Eastern roots would have you differenciate that a moter pestle in the rammer the morter is the receptacle.
Didn’t mom teach U that? I really thought you were much more knowledgable on our traditions.
Just helping you continue to spakle with some basics.
Great! Where can I get a couple plants?
i couldn’t believe the negative comments seen earlier this week regarding this donation. Breadfruit is being hailed as the crop that will feed the world. Introducing a new type gives double the protection from losing all your crop to disease. If it wasn’t for human intervention and evolving crops to make them better, we would still be spitting large seeds out of bananas.
Great article – very informative.
Dr. Christian, thanks again for the information on the breadfruit plants. Am delighted the plant will be short enough so I can pick my fruits myself. Looking forward when breadfruit can be used to produce much more different dishes and use more widely on the island.
The best thing about being a pessimist, it’s been said, are that one is always either right or pleasantly surprised. Perhaps, after considering the past 15 years of political activity, one might understand why the Dominican population would (and perhaps *should*) be wary of promises made, especially w.r.t precious natural resources that may soon mean the difference between life and death.
I will hold my tongue until things happen papa. Roll it.
Some people are worry about the new breadfruit may cause cancer, but not worried about smoking MJ the dope well i tell you;
Thank You Dr. Christian. The Yampere (breadfruit)has been a virtual life-saver for most of us in Dominica. I am elated to read that we may be able to produce flour, chips etc. from the fruit.The chips are simply heavenly with a little salt sprinkled over them. Best of all you answer my concern. It is the dwarf variety and I can pick them without using a big bamboo or worst, finding a man to climb the huge tree. This variety is welcome. Where and when can I get my plant?
Marcus Garvey strikes again!
Breadfruit or no breadfruit Doc, sounds like you more in favour of Captain Bligh than your namesake, Fletcher Christian.
After looking at the video, I have to ask, who you afraid of?
So how do you apply to get a plant? Government have a list?
I hope it doesn’t cause the same kind of trouble like in olden days…
We need the hope breadfruit offers. The new strains could revitalize our agriculture. Thanks Dr. Sam for giving us such good historical perspective on the matter.
Others have done so much for us. At least we can do a little bit instead of saying put the breadfruit in our mouth for us. I never heard of the Caribbean Agricultural Network before. Sounds like they are doing good work.
Wonderfully said Doctor Christian. It is good to see the dream of Marcus Garvey made manifest in a practical manner. As you said we now must make the commitment to put our shoulder to wheel and build a solid agro industry with breadfruit. All Dominicans must now realize that real development will come where we partner to build food security. Garvey and Bligh’s sacrifice would not have been in vain.