ClarkeStephanie Elliott
, Gleaner Writer
MAY PEN, Clarendon:
THE JAMAICA Agricultural Society (JAS) launched its 'Eat Jamaican' campaign at the Denbigh Show ground in Clarendon on Tuesday.
As part of the campaign dubbed: "Farming our heritage... Food our culture... We are what we eat so let's Eat Jamaican", November 25 has been proclaimed eat Jamaican Day.
In his address, Agriculture Minister Roger Clarke said that the campaign was very relevant as it would support the more than 187,000 local farmers and it would encourage national food security.
He said that last year, the agricultural sector contributed just over $22 billion to the Gross Domestic Product (GDP); however, import totalled $23 billion.
And Governor-General Sir Howard Cooke said that the campaign should be used as an opportunity to further embrace Jamaica's heritage.
Recalling his childhood when farming was a much more widespread activity, the Governor-General said that farmers should take advantage of the programmes of the Ministry of Agriculture and begin to produce more.
