AGRA-MIRA Launch

The Alliance For a Green Revolution in Africa (AGRA) is implementing the Micro Reforms For Africa Agricbusiness ( MIRA) project - a five years initiative to provide African Goverments with access to high quality local and international the cynical assistance for identifying , prioritizing, and reforming agricultural regulations that limit or detrimental to our private Agricbusiness. So the private sector were called by the Government to get involve in this policy making.

Organic Farm

Feeling the need to approach our relationship with nature with respect and a new ethos, not simply wanting to receive from her but to provide an atmosphere where we give back or at least create the ground where nature can replenish and heal herself, we began to create our organic farm.

We proceeded with this in mind during the design period, we wanted to create a dialogue between the plants themselves as well as the humans working there and visiting. Our wish was to cultivate our farm and create products in a way that it was both beneficial to our human needs as well as the needs of the soil and the plants.

Having knowledge of the medical approach of homeopathy, I felt it was necessary to create a farm that was a complex organism just as the human body is and to view the needs of the farm from a holistic point of view. We planted almond trees along with olives trees in order to create a communication that was beneficial to both of them, and we strengthened this dialogue by introducing pine and cypress trees as well as grape vines.

Each type brings a positive element that alleviates the stress on a monoculture by introducing organisms beneficial to each other as well as minimizing the risk on a single type from an attack. The herb fields where also designed in a similar way by including plant walls with mixed herbs that brought positive forces as well as introduced the necessary pluralism.

In order to support our plants and trees we use homeopathic products created for the use in homeodynamic agriculture a method based on the principals of biodynamic agriculture.

BAY, Jamaica (JIS) -- A series of seven farmers’ markets are to be held in the resort areas of Negril, Montego Bay and Ocho Rios over the next seven months, as the Government looks to bolster linkages between tourism and agriculture and promote local produce.

This is being done through the Agro-Tourism Farmers’ Market Initiative, which is being funded by the Tourism Enhancement Fund (TEF) at a cost of $10 million.

The project got underway on Wednesday (October 30), at the Norman Manley Beach Park in Negril, with some 35 farmers and farmers groups from the parishes of Westmoreland and Hanover participating.

Minister of Tourism and Entertainment, Dr Wykeham McNeill and Minister of Agriculture and Fisheries, Roger Clarke, were on hand for the launch, which saw hundreds of locals and visitors haggling over prices for top quality fresh food, fruits, vegetables, herbs and spices.

Also on sale were craft items, jewelry, clothes from local designers, and patrons also enjoyed music and cooking demonstrations and partook of local cuisine.

McNeill said that the staging of the farmers’ markets underscores the Government’s commitment to bringing all sectors together “to ensure responsible tourism that brings benefits to wide segments of the society”.

He said that not only do these linkages provide a great opportunity to increase tourism’s contribution to the country’s economic development, but also support the Ministry’s mandate of “tourism for all”.