The Ministry of Education and Caribbean Agro Industries Ltd., have entered into a partnership that will see over 100 schools across the tri-island state of Grenada Carriacou and Petite Martinique, benefiting from flour donations to sustain the School Feeding Programme for the remainder of the year.

On Friday morning, Acting Permanent Secretary within the Ministry of Education, Kevin Andall, accepted an undisclosed quantity of flour from the Commercial Manager of Caribbean Agro Industries Ltd. during a brief handing over ceremony at the St. George’s Methodist School at Queens Park, St. George.

Addressing a small gathering of representatives from Caribbean Agro Industries Ltd., the Ministry of Education, teachers, students, and the Cook at the St. George’s Methodist School, PS Andall, thanked the company for answering the ministry’s call for support, emphasising the importance of partnerships with the private sector towards sustaining the delivery of “quality nutrition to our students.”

He said while the Ministry of Education is committed to sustaining the School Feeding Programme, it cannot do it alone.“We (the ministry) cannot do it on our own. We must have the support, not only of Government but also of the private sector,” PS Andall said, pointing out that “there are many boys and girls among us whose situation is very dire and the school feeding programme provides support to them in terms of nutrition.”

He further placed on record the ministry’s “commitment to sustaining partnerships like these” and commended Caribbean Agro for its generosity over the years.

“Over the years they (Caribbean Agro) have provided us with donations of flour, which is their main product and they continue to do that and we welcome that as a ministry…we are vigilant that you the beneficiaries can benefit tremendously from his programme, and we are also committed to bringing better efficiency,” he declared.

PS Andall is optimistic that “when a company like Caribbean Agro, join in partnership with us, it can encourage other entities (and) businesses to stand with us in this important venture.

“And when the private sector is involved with an endeavour like this, we (the ministry) benefit tremendously, not only from the donation but also from the expertise that they have (because) they tend to share those with us,” he added.

In making the handover, the Commercial Manager at Caribbean Agro Industries Ltd., Gilbert Spooner, who was not in a position to disclose the value of the donation, expressed the company’s pleasure to be affiliated with the Ministry of Education and to be in a position to contribute to the nutritional well-being of students.

“We are happy that for two (2) consecutive years we are in a position to assist and we are hoping that this arrangement will be for the long haul, that we would be in a position to contribute to the School Feeding Programme and the nutritional well being of the youth, the students of the many schools throughout the trial and state,” Spooner remarked.

Meanwhile, in an interview with Barnacle News following the handing over ceremony, School Feeding Officer, Marlene Neptune, expressed hope that the partnership between the department and Caribbean Agro Industries Ltd., will “continue for a very long time.”

She indicated that the amount of flour a school receives is dependent on the menu.

“It is all the flour that is required for the programme, and that’s a lot,” Neptune said, noting that ”most schools, we would give them probably about 50lbs of flour. Some of the bigger schools we would give them about 75 lbs.”

“…We are really, thankful. That’s generous support that they are providing,” she added.