A Backyard Gardening Enhancement project to combat micro-nutrient deficiencies in South Eastern communities of Dominica including Boetica, Delices, Grand Fond, La Plaine and Riviere Cyrique was officially launched in La Plaine on Wednesday October 16, 2013.
The project which was conceptualized by the Ministries of Health and Agriculture will allow members of those communities to enhance their livelihoods and economic standards.
Nutritionist Marynese Titre, told the launching ceremony, that a food consumption island-wide survey carried out by the Ministry of Health back in 1996, revealed that there was need for residents in the Laplaine health district to consume more iron rich foods, to prevent health problems such as anaemia.
“The general results of the survey indicated that there was a 35% prevalence of anaemia overall. 47% the highest was in women of child bearing age17-49 years, 43 % in Riviere Cyrique and 40% in Boetica. We were also concerned about the levels of anaemia among children 1-4 years that was 33% and 5-11 years 31%. Among the adolescents 12-16 years there was 28% anaemia” she said.
She continued, “The fact that Riviere Cyrique and Boetica had the highest percentage of anaemia the health team together with myself, decided to put an intervention plan to address the situation”.
District Medical Officer for the area Dr. Nebiyu Bekele spoke of the timeliness of such a project adding that the project will assist community residents to improve on the nutritional value of the food they consume, thereby improving their health status.
“The launching of today’s programme when undertaken by villagers of the district will certainly enhance the livelihood in that their economic standard will improve. It will ensure sustainable food system and will lead to an improvement in their nutritional value,” Dr. Bekele said.
“Furthermore, backyard gardening practices will definitely assist in combating the chronic-non communicable diseases, since these practices provide the opportunity to produce organically grown food,” he pointed out.
Nutritionist Marynese Titre is hoping that the communities will use this backyard gardening project to grow more leafy vegetables, fruits and peas.
“For us at this time our concern is the amount of peas that is being grown. We know that our pigeon peas used to be grown widely, that is like a “no no” now. Even for green leafy vegetables which we are promoting now. We believe this is important because of the high content of iron in our Chinese cabbage and our spinach and our herbs like celery and parsley, we would like to see more people grow these,” she suggested.
Meantime Dominica’s Director of Agriculture Ricky Brumant welcomed the initiative.
“This is vitally important for us and it something that the South East is looking forward to and importantly it will make a vital change to our health, our nutrition status in the South East and the Ministry of Agriculture and other stakeholders are looking forward to that,” he said.
The launching of the Backyard Gardening Enhancement project in La Plaine, coincided with local activities to mark World Food Day on October 16.
This is a meaningful initative by the Ministry, it must be followed up with surveys to quantify the effects from a monetary (how much is being saved and earned on food consumption and sale) and health perspective (increase in nutrient intake, immunity to disease etc).
It’s an undertaking that people can do in their spare-time instead of spending hours like dummies infront of a television or computer. If sufficient communities all over the island participate in this Backyard Gardening Initative (DaBgI), surplus value could be gained by exporting extra produce that isn’t being consumed locally.
I do hope the people view this as an opportunity. Remember, my people. Every dollar put into the hand of another race gives them more authority over yours. So you’ll basically be paying other races to look down on you, while they continue to save and pile up all your hard earned money.
Organize and rotate money in your community at least three/four times before giving it to the Astaphans, Nassiefs and now the Chineses and Indians. They’re getting rich off our labour and they despise us.
funny small things that just wont last another one from vc