Carib Agri knowledge-sharing sessions re-commence with the first week of policy discussions on School Feeding

 

Dear Subscribers,

 

Here’s a list of the contributions made thus far to the discussions on School Feeding. Please share your perspective by responding to [log in to unmask] or to [log in to unmask] .

 

Here are the questions for this week’s discussion:

1. How can the School Feeding Programme (SFP) contribute to the promotion of healthy eating habits in the Caribbean?

2. How can different ministries of government better coordinate their efforts to strengthen SFPs in the Caribbean?

3. How can SFPs benefit local production and trade in the Caribbean?

4. How can the SFP contribute to the realization of the Human Right to Food and Food and Nutrition Security in the Caribbean?

 

From: Dr Deep Ford, UN FAO Coordinator for the Caribbean  

 Two dimensions of the new approach to School Feeding being promoted by FAO emphasize a) school feeding as a means of promoting long life food choices characterized by decision making that pays attention to consuming healthy  and nutritious foods and b)  school feeding programs that promote increased consumption of healthy and nutritious local foods, where possible linked to farmers and  backyard garden producers in the community where the school is located. In addition to the supply of the healthy local product meal at lunch time and interventions such as nutrition education and  promotion of public purchasing of local products, what other interventions/activities can we engage in for increased success in this effort ? 

 J.R. Deep Ford

UN FAO Coordinator -- Caribbean Region

Representative Barbados and OECS

United Nations House, Barbados

email: [log in to unmask]">[log in to unmask];[log in to unmask]

Tel: 246-426-7110 (o);246-231-5735(c) Skype: JRDeep2

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Replies to Dr Ford’s comment:

 

From: Karen Sutherland of Roots Farm Organic Produce:

Can make basics of growing and preparing nutritious food without using poisons part of curriculum and have school-feeding gardens, including some of the newer urban and vertical gardening techniques for places with little/no available land.  Can frame engagements where the “experts” actually LISTEN to the people to be affected and incorporate them and their ideas into the visioning, planning and operation of such (hopefully) diverse projects that would be supported/sustained locally because local people invested in goals & outcomes.  

 

Karen Sutherland

Roots Farm Organic Produce

Fruits, Roots, Vegetables & Herbs

Cochrane, DOMINICA

767-449-3038 (before 7 P.M.)

[log in to unmask]

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From: Dr. Sylvia Adjoa Mitchell, Lecturer, Medicinal Plant Research Group,  The Biotechnology Centre,  University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Jamaica

Dissemination and use of local herbs and spices, nutraceuticals and medicinal plants like moringa, purslane, noni, aloe, lemon grass, lime.

Dr. Sylvia Adjoa Mitchell,

Lecturer, Medicinal Plant Research Group

The Biotechnology Centre
University of the West Indies, Mona Campus, Jamaica
876-977-3331(fax), 977-1828(O), 935-8519-21(W), 580-0412 (digi), 545-2646 (lime)
"Be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, Will of God." Romans 12.2

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From: Wendel Parham

Deep,

 

You could add a third dimension - School Gardening as part of the curriculum/school activity to teach the students to appreciate agriculture and to learn to produce those healthy, nutritious foods which the School Feeding Program is promoting.

 

Wendel

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From: Michael Gaspard Andrew, Natural Resource Management Consultant, La Haut, Mon Repos, Micoud, Saint Lucia

Greetings and thanks for making part of the very interesting and exciting program of work.

 

I strongly support this program of work and view it as a step in the right direction. For too long now, many infants and children have been leaving the homes on a daily basis on an empty or partially full stomach, and by mid morning they feel pain and lack focus at the very important school activities.

 

Looking forward to my active participation where possible.

 

HAVE A BLESSED DAY.

 

Michael Gaspard Andrew
Natural Resource Management Consultant
La Haut, Mon Repos, Micoud, Saint Lucia
Mobile one #: 758-5207065
Mobile two #: 758-7247982

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Moderator:

Please contribute to this discussion by responding to [log in to unmask] or to [log in to unmask]. We welcome your perspective on the topic.

 

Some of the contributors suggested that school gardens should be included as a component school feeding programme. Yet,  school gardens do exist in many Caribbean primary and secondary schools, with some gardens harshly criticized as “too ornamental” . Other critics opine that they serve no real purpose other than having aesthetic value. Agricultural Sciences have also been removed from the school curriculum of some schools.

 

Are there any best practices across the region that highlight the successful incorporation of school gardens, or even community gardens,  into the feeding programme?  

 

Likewise, are there any positive stories that demonstrate how primary and secondary schools are linking nutritional and health education and plant awareness into the school feeding programme?

 

Your thoughts on these questions?

 

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From: Dr Anthony Kellman, Monitoring and Evaluation Officer, FAO SLC Office

The School Feeding Programme can serve as a learning tool to introduce the students to the eating local and healthy foods.   In today’s society where most of the food consumed by the young is introduced to them in a plastic packet, introducing them to the science and art of production at an early age could stimulate these young and developing minds to the concept of producing to supply their needs.

 

The apparent lack of collaboration between the Ministries of Education, Agriculture and Health need to be addressed in order to fill the gaps between “ local” food and food production and its contribution to health and healthy lifestyles and getting these messages into the Educational System (School Feeding Programme).  For the benefit and health of our future generations, let’s stop the talk the time for action is now.

 

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Carib-Agri Moderator

Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO)

Sub-regional Office for the Caribbean

FAO_logo_Blue_3lines_en

 

 



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