The Big Parish is the breadbasket of Grenada, and this was evident in the high level of public participation at the annual World Food Day Exhibition held in the heart of the town of Grenville on Tuesday, 16 October.

The large crowds attracted to the event visited stalls showcasing local fresh fruits and vegetables, by-products, local arts and crafts, charities and businesses. Seaton Browne Street was cordoned off for the occasion which also featured traditional dance and Steel Pan performances.

“Today’s event is the best that I have seen in years,” said Minister of Agriculture and Land, Hon. Yolande Bain-Horsford, as she sipped a glass of local cane juice while carrying a beautifully decorated fruit basket. For the Minister, the level of participation was evidence that people are very conscious of the benefits of eating local foods.

World Food Day is celebrated every year around the world on 16 October in honour of the date of the founding of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) of the United Nations in 1945. World Food Day 2018 was observed under the theme “Our actions are our future. A zero hunger world by 2030 is possible”. Discussing Grenada’s efforts to achieve zero hunger by 2030, Minister Bain-Horsford said “we are not very close, we are a little way off, we understand the concept, and we are moving to make it a reality…. The global plan to achieve zero hunger by 2030 cannot be reached if we do not address the interconnections of our food security, rural development and climate change.”

She added, “The Government of Grenada understands this. Therefore, we have expanded investments in agriculture and fisheries to improve our food and nutrition security status. Our action depicts our future so let us pursue the right actions which are responsible for the environmental and economic sustainability that will guarantee results in zero hunger Grenada by 2030.”

Minister Bain-Horsford drew attention to a pilot project by the Ministry of Agriculture and Land to use locally grown fruits and vegetables in school meals. “This project is on the right track of achieving zero hunger, and we are moving to make it a reality. The schools are the best place to start. We have the 4H groups who are working in the school gardens; we have four schools that will be starting new projects. We hope that by the end of next year all the schools in St Andrews will be eating healthy meals. We must also bear in mind that is a lucrative market for fruits as a healthy alternative to the snacks served at the schools. The contribution made by this project is invaluable to the School Feeding Programme”.